Steve Winwood Junction Seven, Steve Winwood's new album, is named for the junction off the motorway en route to his Gloucestershire home. He lives there with his wife, Eugenia, who is project manager for the new album and co-writer of four of the 11 songs on the album. "This was the first time we had written together," Winwood says. "We could work out the publishing cut in bed, perhaps." His co-production partner on the album is Narada Michael Walden, with whom Winwood worked on an all-star tribute to Curtis Mayfield at the 1994 Grammy Awards. When Winwood started planning Junction 7, he invited Walden to England. They struck up an instant creative chemistry and wound up sharing writing credits on 8 tracks.

After Refugees of the Heart in 1990, Winwood took a break from his solo career to join up with former Traffic colleague and writing partner Jim Capaldi on Far From Home. The first new Traffic album in 20 years, it was backed by road work, including an appearance at the 25th anniversary Woodstock Festival and joining Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead on their final stadium tour of the United States. "Traffic is a great vehicle in which to do things I can't do on the solo stuff," Winwood says. And even though it's on the back burner for now, it's something he plans to work on again. "I love working with Jim, and whether it's writing or playing, he continues to inspire me," he says. Sounds of Steve Winwood Roll With It It was Winwood's first record for Virgin. With a return to homegrown blues/R&B, it spawned 2 big singles, "Don't You Know What the Night Can Do?" and the title track. Refugees of the Heart Winwood slowed down the pace with this one, coming up with something personal. The songs run longer than average pop songs, with "In the Light of Day" clocking in at more than 8 minutes. Among the highlights: "One and Only Man", "You'll Keep on Searching", and "Another Deal Goes Down". Far From Home This is what Winwood/Traffic fans had been wanting for decades: a reunion of Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi, the songwriting force behind Traffic. Rather than functioning as a time capsule or retro-piece, it points forward. The album includes "here Comes a Man", "Nowhere is Their Freedom", and "Some Kinda Woman".