Being a Steve Winwood fan for decades I could'nt wait to crank up his latest. Boy what a treat! I think every cut is great. What an excellent musician this guy is. Can't wait for him and Clapton to do some bits together. Enjoy this one...

I have to say I am disappointed with "Nine Lives", Steve Winwood's new release. Being a bass player I don't understand the lack of electric bass on the record. Most of the songs rely on Winwoods keyboard bass support and don't have the weight or feel that a bassist can provide. Also the drum beats are similar and feature too much percussion (congas and such) and not a strong trap set. The songs suffer from the lack of a traditional rhythm section. Steve's voice is fine and he looks from the photo to have aged well. The addition of Eric Clapton on one tune helps, but most of the songs just don't go anywhere, and lack the sound of a real band playing together. Buy the "Crossroads" concert with Steve and Eric and others live, unless you are a die hard Winwood Fan. clench

This is another fine piece of work from Steve Winwood, who's unique voice and keyboard playing have blessed the world for over forty years.

After all these years it is difficult for an artist such as he to stir up the emotions of youth but the experience of the years of playing with some of the best in the world shows through.

For me this is a direct descendent from the Traffic years with the jazzy and funky orientated pieces and the homage to Chris Woods with the hauntingly beautiful flute contibutions. I may be reading too much into this by suggesting that this is Winwood's Eulogy to his former bandmates, most of whom are no longer with us.

I particularly enjoyed Hungry Man which could well have been a jam with the Grateful Dead from their second album Anthem of the Sun.

This album grows and grows with repeated playing and at higher volumes and is particularly appropriate in these long hot days of summer here in North carolina. If you liked High heeled Boys or On the Road, then you will like this.

The more I listen to this the more I like it. Strictly from a fan's point of view, I refuse to be hypercritical. This CD runs the gamut in styles ranging from his Low Spark days to Back In The High Life. Dirty City, predictably, is a great cut with Clapton, but give the rest of it a chance to grow on you. Winwood's genius is still much more than just a flicker.

Stevie always has nice stuff. Good to hear from him again. Best is song with Clapton.

On NINE LIVES, Steve Winwood pulls together every style that he's used since he began his career in 1963, from old-school R&B to hard rock and jazzy progressive rock to progressive pop-rock to blue-eyed soul- and succeeds with every stylistic turn. He even reunites with Eric Clapton, his old mate from Blind Faith, on "Dirty City", and the result is a song with more emotion and grit than Winwood has mustered up since ARC OF A DIVER and Clapton since ANOTHER TICKET. Overall, this album successfully surveys Winwood's past even as it moves him into the future.

Steve 's new cd showcases his amazing voice. There are soulful songs, latin ryhthms, orchestrated sounds all backing up his one of a kind sound. I have played this cd over and over and keep finding new things to love about this new release.

It seems as though we forget too easily just how vital Steve Winwood is. His release rate is sporadic, and as the saying goes, `out of sight, out of mind.' Nevertheless, he's been providing us with great music since the British Invasion (yeah, it's been that long) as a member of the Spencer Davis Group, then with Traffic, then Blind Faith, then the revised Traffic, and finally, as a solo artist. His music has always been relaxed and reflective, but with a strong rhythmic drive and a timeless quality that keeps his music relevant through all sorts of stylistic changes. He may not make a lot of records, but he always makes good ones, so it shouldn't surprise me to learn that "Nine Lives" is as good as it is. The surprise is that it's even better than I had any right to expect.
"Nine Lives" sounds a lot like second-generation Traffic, with less noodling and more focus. The songs build on blues riffs, jazz, and folk-rock, all coupled with African and Latin influences. There is precision and elegance to virtually every track on this album, without a single extraneous note. It all makes perfect sense, from the nailed down rhythmic grooves to the song lengths, which linger only long enough to make you want more. "Nine Lives" hearkens back to an era when good music defined our culture, but it doesn't sound the least bit dated or forced. In the best sense, this album could have been released in 1972. With nine tracks passing by in approximately fifty minutes, it's even the right length for a classic vinyl album.
From a topical perspective, Winwood is still relying on the imagery that has served him well in the past. There are lots of metaphors here - flying, drowning (or more specifically, not drowning), raging seas and struggling to find higher ground. He's not a lyrical genius, but the songs are so strong that his words take on a sense of import, and most importantly, he sounds like he really is trying to convey something honestly. Apparently, he still feels as though he's struggling to hang on to something (Relevance? Sanity in a world without pity?), yet the music is never less than relaxed and confident. Is "Nine Lives" as good as his previous solo albums? Definitely. It is certainly his best record since "Arc of a Diver," maybe even since "Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys." There is no filler here, just 100% vintage Steve Winwood, and that is better than good enough for me. A Tom Ryan

A couple of songs on the CD caught my attention. Stevie Winwood is a great talent. He could have done a better job. I think he should have stayed with traditional Winwood music.

A very enjoyable CD ...GREAT to hear Hammond organ again...and enlivening percussion...there's some lovely audio surprises...A great SOLID sound..

If you love hearing the easy flow of Winwood's voice, you will love this album. Smooth and easy listening to enjoy, especially when you are stuck in traffic. Sanity saver.

It's very rare that I find a CD in which I thoroughly enjoy all tracks. This is one of those Rare CD's. Steve Winwood scores a 10 out of 10 for his artistry. Buy it. You won't be disappointed.

Steve Winwood still has it. If you are a fan of his style of music you won't be disappointed. This is a great album that I like listening to going down the road.

This is simply a great CD. More Traffic like than some of his recent CD's. Great musicianship as always, these tunes rock. They are longer songs which adds to the great feel of this CD. Simply great music!

Nine Lives is the sort of album you play two or three times as soon as you hear it. It makes you want to go back and explore the earlier Steve Winwood albums again.

I've been listening to the music of Steve Winwood since first hearing him with Spencer Davis. He never stops growing and changing. I've enjoyed the ride. I hope he continues making great music far into the future. This is another fine chapter in his life. Good job!

Nine Lives is an excellent new recording by one of my favorite artists of all time. After listening to it, I had a craving to hear all my old vinyl recordings of 'Traffic', especially "The low spark of high heeled boys".
Upon repeated listening to Winwood's latest recording, I found myself enjoying it more, but it's not easy to compare it to his classic tunes. Those were different times, music that defined an era. Still, I'd rather listen to Steve Winwood, new or old, than most anybody else.

Steve who has been around for ever, continues to put out great music. This is a delightful CD for fan's of Stevie and a great introduction to a rock ion for those not familiar. Highly recommended.

I am a little disappointed with Steve Winwoods's latest CD "Nine Lives". Sound is OK, vintage Steve Winwood. But after previous "About Time" the new CD seems a little stale. Especially dissapointing is the guest appearance of Eric Clapton- the song is OK but he used too much distortion in the guitar solo. Being a lifelong fan, this certainly won't keep me from checking out Steve's next effort.

Like the other reviewers above, I was unimpressed by this album, which just seems like "product." It is frankly boring, with a sameness to the sound of the tracks which nearly put me to sleep. Although Winwood has never been a strong vocalist or lyricist, his efforts here are frankly dull. Is he just riding the little blip in popularity caused by his recent appearances with
Eric Clapton at MSG??

Save your money; buy the "Blind Faith" album or something else!

Dr. Bob Wesly

Some reviewers have said that if you like Traffic and Blind Faith, you'll like this. That's true, but I find Steve Winwood's new album to be much more complicated than that. It does have Traffic and Blind Faith moments, but they are moments in a much bigger picture. There are ghosts from his entire career here along with fresh new work as well. I find the title very fitting. All his past lives are represented along with his new 9th life. Almost every song is different; mood, instruments, etc.. which I find very refreshing for someone at this point of his career. AND his voice is right there! Amazingly it's held up INCREDIBLY well!! Unfortunately that's not always the case. He sounds great. Out of the nine songs on this CD there are two I don't love. That's why I give it four stars instead of five. If you truly like Steve Winwood, you'll like this!

Since Steve Winwood was 16 years old and leading Spencer Davis to their chart leading hits, he has always continued to grow. Exploring new musical ventures and teaming up with Super Star performers, many times at their request. Heck, Jimi Hendrix was astonished that he was going to actually have Steve Winwood record on his Historic Electric Ladyland LP!
Add to this his diversified talents that would draw in Latin Legend Tito Puente and you have a solid idea of just how legendary Steve is.
Sure, he has changed directions several times, from Spencer Davis and earlier goups to the Jazz influenced Super Group Traffic, to the Mega Star Super Group Blind Faith, to his 1980's top pop chart era where he had several major solo hits and today, his 21st Century rebirth into jazz/Latin/Rock. Listen to his 2003 'About Time' and you will hear Steve's solid Jazz/Latin influence coupled with his 'blue-eyed soul' vocals. Not to mention the sound of his terrific Hammond B3 playing, occassionally taking back seat to his equally great guitar work. Yes, a
mega star for certain! Now he brings us Nine Lives!
With Nine Lives, he once again assembles masterful songs, all of which are well arranged and supported with superb musicianship.
The songs range for rockish 'I'm Not Drowning' and 'Dirty City' (where he invited his close friend Eric Clapton to play with him) to the Latin influenced 'We're All Looking' and 'Hungry Man', and both songs will get you feet moving! There is also the classic Winwood easy-flying type song such as the aptly named 'FLY'.
Clapton's guitar work on Dirty City is not overwhelming, and that it exactly as it was intended. It's just as it needs to be to make the song work. And that's what top musician's do. In this case very successfully. For the remainding songs of the 9 on this CD you will be equally pleased and will find memorable enough to want the lyrics.

Mr Winwood turned 60 just days ago, but his vocals are as strong and his musical drive just as steady as it was in his earler rock days.
Do not miss this terrific piece or work. You will play it over and over again! Guaranteed!

Added 6/17/08 - Just Saw Steve at Westbury Music Fair in NY and it was a smash! He played 6 of the 9 songs from 'Nines Lives' along with songs from his 2003 hit 'About Time', Traffic, Blind Faith, his early solo years and nailed them all! If you have the opportunity to see him live, DO NOT miss the chance. He is a most gracious living Legend who loves to entertain us with his musical genius!

Easy listening album. Underwhelmed by disk, Not much energy. And the track with Clapton? He was grossly underutilized.

Hi. I've been a fan of Steve Winwood's since I was 8 or 9. The Spencer Davis Group was one of the first albums I ever bought.
I LOVED Traffic; loved Blind Faith...
After that he seemed to lose his way. It seemed that he had "devolved" to utilizing the "flavor of the month" (musical) philosophy .
Now, before all you folks who loved "Arc of the Diver" go nuts on me, it just wasn't the gritty Steve Winwood I'd come to love. It was synths that (now) seem terribly dated in the voices that were used ( as is much of the music from the 80's), and his style- his persona was submerged or hidden by all this..."stuff".
Now, he's found his way back! This album is wonderful! Note: I've given 4 rather than 5 stars only because the writing on a couple of songs in the middle of the CD are not his best...But they still very VERY good! It's gritty, and mature and pure Winwood!
I hadn't realized just how much I'd missed his sound, his soul, his ideas!
This is a WONDERFUL Re-INTRODUCTION to a seminal artist & I recommend this to anyone who is looking for real, soulful tunes that harken back to his best days, his best musical endeavours!
Buy it! You won't be sorry!

As other reviewers before me had said this record needs to be listened to a few times to really appreciate it. Yesterday I had a long listening session that included "Kind of Blue", Clapton's "Journeyman", Duke Ellingtons greatest hits, and "Nine Lives". This CD held it's own with this group. Some really good songs with interesting arrangements and some very nice guitar work by Jose Neto. He's a good riffer, I wish he would have soloed a bit more. But, that's just the old jazz guitarist talking. Even my Maine Coon cat liked it! And he's critical.....

Nine LivesHere is another fine work of art from Steve Winwood. Eric Clapton appears on one song, this is a great album.

This has the old sound of Winwood but more acoustical. I enjoyed it but he has seemed to have lost that sound of old.

This is Steve's best in years! A lot of it is remenicient of classic Traffic. His vocals are still as good as they were 30 years ago. The music is classic rock brought to the new century.

I first heard of Steve Winwood in the 80's while still in high school. He had a few hits during that time that made there way into the pops charts when videos were becoming increasingly popular and better made. I had no idea that it would take me another 20+ years before I'd actually purchase an album of his and fall in love with his perfect pitch voice and the seemingly endless array of genres of music he can play. I downloaded the music after hearing 'Dirty City' played on the morning news on the release date. It caught my attention and did not let go. After reviewing the other samples I immediately purchased the entire album. From beginning to end you will enjoy this 9 song collection. From the acoustic 'I'm Not Drowning' through the funk & jazz inspired 'Hungry Man' to the gospel-organ tinged 'At Times We Do Forget' I was completely thrilled with this album.

I am someone who will rock out with Jay-Z or Linkin Park, listen to Nine Inch Nails, Celine and Mariah Carey. But every now and then I will want to relax and get a dose of Steve and his silky voice. A true music fan of any kind will enjoy this album. Don't limit yourselves. You will also hear Brazil and African drum influences as well. With a great sound system you hear and feel so many colors in this music, I don't see how you can't...

This CD is his best work in a while in my opinion. It sort of flashes me back to the more jam related work in Traffic ...

No pop hooks here but an outstanding assortment of musical genres and grooves. This work captures the essence of the artists roots as he continues to branch out and explore in a sort of eclectic worldly diversity. Call it a blend of what Traffic or Blind Faith would be in 2008. This collection of songs will certainly stand the test of time...catch the Groove!

This is one of the best CD's I have ever listened to! Every track is solid and unique, and gets better and better with each listening! The musicianship is outstanding, with each key person contributing in ways you would never imagine possible! Every song is thought out in painstaking detail and it shows! I feel thrilled to be listening to such a phenominal effort of diversity of music styles because any particular music style can't be defined on this CD!!!!! IT'S GREAT, AND A MUST BUY!!!!!

Ever since he played with Spencer Davis Group (as a teenager), Winwood has been churning out consistent hits. No small feat for a career spanning over forty years. I believe "Nine Lives" is every bit as good as Steve's 80's album that gave us such hits as "Higher Love" and "Roll With It". Every song on the CD is a pleasure to hear.

Very reminiscent of Traffic with Chris Wood on flute and saxophone with Stevie on the B3.

I have been a fan of Steve Winwood since the 60's when I followed his career with The Spencer Davis Group, Traffic and Blind Faith. The changes reflect his creativity, his musicianship, his artistry.

This CD is incredible. There are elements of jazz, blues, and a little pop. I enjoy every song, and each one is a positive experience. The lyrics are thought provoking, and the music is soothing and moving. I am glad that I have this recording in my collection.