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Traffic: "Woodwind", Anderson Theatre, Nov 23, 1970

01. Medicated Goo
02. Pearly Queen
03. Empty Pages
04. Heaven is in your mind
05. Forty Thousand Head Men
06. John Barleycorn
07. Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring
08. Every Mothers Son
09. Freedom Rider

The first nine songs were recorded @ The Andersen Theater in NYC 11/23/70.
Personnel includes SW, CW, JC, and Rick Grech. This disc is most notable
for the inclusion of Rick Grech to the group near the latter part of their
70 tour. Along with playing bass, he also lends a hand with lead guitar.
The disc finds a group which had been on the road for awhile bolstered by
a new member to add new flavors to their arrangements. For fans of the 70
Tour this disc offers a rare glimpse of Traffic as a quartet, with the
additional freedom offered by another member. The disc starts with an
Intro by none other than Bill Graham. Medicated Goo is a bit disjointed
although Winwood is in fine voice, and plays a lead somewhat reminiscent
of Stranger to Himself from earlier in the tour. A nice version of Pearly
Queen is next, with Grech on hand to lend support to the rhythm section,
Chris's organ fills break loose a bit to add some color. For fans of the
LP version of Empty Pages, this concert version is among the best I've
heard. Steve's vocals and keyboard work (sounds like a Fender Rhodes or
RMI electric piano) are top notch and the band seem to catch a good groove
with this tune. An updated version of Heaven replete with a lovely jam
with Chris on sax playing off a vamping Winwood organ to finish off the
song, adds new insight to some older material. A change of pace highlights
the next tunes. Forty Thousand Headmen offers some lovely flute work by
Chris, and John Barleycorn is welcome for a version not marred by lyrical
snafus as found in other versions from earlier in the tour. Who Knows
finds Grech trying his hand at lead and rhythm guitar. The addition of
guitar adds greatly to the feel of the tune, fleshing it out, adding more
texture and spark. Steve's soloing is especially tasty and the song offers
good ensemble playing. Every Mothers Son is a highlight. Other versions of
this song lacked the lovely guitar riff that accompanies the opening
keyboard parts. Although the addition of guitar to the song is welcome,
Grech is unable to provide the caliber of playing that was on the studio
version. One wonders if the reason the live 11/70 release was shelved
because the band wasn't comfortable with Grech's guitar work. (That was
one of the reasons given for the non-release of the material recorded just
days before this gig. See The "Lost" Live Album.) Nevertheless this is a
wonderful version of Every Mothers Son, with great tension built up by the
dual piano, organ combo and not to be missed. The disc end uneventfully,
with a version of "Freedom Rider" without "Glad" preceding. The sound quality
of this disc is excellent. These tapes may have been from a "Grateful Dead"
soundboard of this show. At any rate well beyond typical bootleg sound!
Rating A Review by GA 1/2/98

Winwood and possibly Capaldi joined the Grateful Dead onstage at the
Anderson theater in New York City on November 23, 1970. On one tape of the
show, Winwood's performance apparently begins during the song "Hard To
Handle" (Pigpen vocals), where he plays Hammond organ, followed by
"Railroad Blues" (Jerry Garcia vocals), then a medley of "Not Fade Away" /
"Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad" / "Not Fade Away". Steve attempts the
lead vocal on the first "Not Fade Away", but apparently only knows part of
the first verse and chorus, which he mangles in a couple of tries. He
seems embarrassed, and sings in an odd, low register. Finally, he says
"OK, fade away, I sang something" and drops out vocally for the rest of
the song. He makes up for it in his playing, which is supportive and fits
nicely into the Dead's sound. Bob Weir handles the lead vocals for the
rest of the song, with Steve adding some backing. In about the last three
minutes of the tape, Bill Graham comes on and introduces Traffic, who kick
into "Medicated Goo" just before the tape ends. The Grateful Dead taped
all of their own shows, apparently including supporting acts such as Cream
and Traffic.

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