Steve Winwood
Refugees of the Heart

THE REVIEW

It hasn't even been 2 years since the release of the highly successful "Roll with It" that, riding the wave of success, Winwood decided to produce another album, and the incredible thing is that it also turned out to be exceptional.

Steve reduces the band a bit, but he can't say no to his old adventure companion Jim, so he's forced to give up the excellent John Robinson on drums from the previous album. However, you almost don't notice the difference; just put the LP on and you'll notice it right away from the start of "You'll Keep on Searching," where the drums (in this case it's Russ Kunkel at the helm) contrast the soprano sax of Randall Bramblett, whom we'll also hear in the final two tracks. A bit repetitive is the following prayer "Every Day (Oh Lord)," but this kind of thing is repetitive by its very nature. Fortunately, we quickly move to the great rock rhythm of "One and Only Man" where Jim stands out: his bass drum is really powerful, and the other percussion instruments are also remarkable and make a worthy companion to Steve's Hammond, a great track that fades out to make way for the evocative "I Will Be Here," a piece perfectly suited to the author's vocal qualities. It's an absolutely epic slow number, as Steve seriously promises that he'll be there, come what may. This time the alto sax is played by Jim Horn, and like Kunkel, he really shines: a great piece!

Turning to the other side with "Another Deal Goes Down," we move to a classic R & B where Steve once again proves to be a master, thanks also to the contributions of Kunkel and Larry Byron on guitar, who occasionally steps in to make his presence known. "Running On" is much more mellow, or "filler" if you prefer, and quickly gives way to "Came Out and Dance" (Steve's obsession with wanting to make his Lovely dance), another good R & B enriched by the presence of a brass section featuring all the saxophones available on the market (tenor, alto & baritone), the only one missing was the soprano, which would have completed the set, interrupted by the trumpet of Michael Haynes, a masterclass for enthusiasts of the instrument.

In conclusion, Steve cunningly places "In the Light of Day" at the end, perhaps realizing that overall this album was inferior to the previous one, leaving the best track for last. This is the piece for which "Refugees of the Heart" deserves both the ticket price and a 4-star rating! There's no point in commenting on this "rhythmic escape," it's better to listen to it with respect and maybe turn up the stereo a bit to appreciate the beauty of the vibraphone played by, guess who? Once again, it contrasts with Bramblett's tenor sax. The only necessary addition is about the inspiration for such a track, which came to Steve as he thought about the dream of Freedom of Nelson Mandela, who had just been released from prison, where he'd been detained for something like 26 years.

I close the review by supporting my judgment with the excellent acoustic and technical quality of the recording (a full digital), as well as the graphics, which have finally improved significantly compared to all his previous solo work after "Arc of a Diver."