Dave Mason is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He’s written some of the most memorable rock songs of the classic rock era, notably “Feelin’ Alright,” “We Just Disagree” “Only You Know and I Know.”
He was an integral part of Traffic, the adventurous Steve Winwood-led band that blended progressive rock experimentation with pop melodies and sold millions of albums in the late 1960s and early ’70s. In fact, his show, Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam, pays tribute to that band at the Peace Center Aug. 2. Classic rockers Jefferson Starship open the show.
So given all those laurels, it’s somewhat startling to hear Mason refer to himself with a great deal of modesty when discussing the Traffic Jam show.
“First and foremost, I’m a guitar player,” Mason says. “Singing and songwriting is just something that came along with the program. So when I’m working on shows, I’m finding things where I can really play guitar.”
But the Traffic Jam show itself obviously isn’t just about playing guitar. Mason and his crack band — which includes former Vanilla Fudge vocalist and keyboard player Mark Stein — have created a dynamic show with a setlist that includes Traffic classics such as “The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys,” “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” “Feelin’ Alright,” and “Medicated Goo” alongside solo Mason hits such as “We Just Disagree” and “Only You Know and I Know.”
But Mason is quick to point out that these won’t be note-perfect recreations of the tunes.
“These are my versions of these songs,” he says. “The versions of ‘Dear Mr. Fantasy’ and ‘The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys’ are very different. We mix it up.”
There’s also a multimedia presentation during the show, a collection of photos and clips that celebrate Mason’s past both with Traffic and playing with a stunning list of collaborators including Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac.
“It’s basically photographs of different artists and places,” Mason says. “It’s stuff that fits into the show, personal photos and stuff from my journey.”
Mason actually has a memoir coming out in September to celebrate those memories. The book is fittingly enough titled “Only You Know and I Know.”
“It was something that the fans kept asking me to do for years,” he says. “If they hadn’t, I probably never would’ve done it.”
So, with a tour and a book that both summarize his past, where is the 78-year-old Mason headed in the future?
“I’m just going to keep doing Dave Mason, basically,” he says.
Want to go?
Who: Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam, with special guest Jefferson Starship
When: Friday, Aug. 2
Where: Peace Center
Tickets and info: peacecenter.org
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