Aug. 30 marked the final night of San Francisco Fest 2016, a monster 58-date traveling arena tour headlined by Journey, the Doobie Brothers and Dave Mason. You’d think that Mason, 70, might chill for 2016’s few remaining days, allowing his mind, body and spirit some rejuvenation time. But time off is a concept that doesn’t occur to the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer.
“I haven’t stopped performing since I started,” Mason says. “It’s what I do.”
Mason’s been at it for more than a half-century. Year after year, he’s averaged around 125 performances.
“Playing music is what I’ve done my whole life,” he says. “It’s my business, but it’s also my passion.”
Mason doesn’t have to be headlining, or even mentioned in the liner notes, to get his fix. He’s like a great utility baseball player – he’ll play where he’s needed and give 100 percent. Along with co-founding one of Brit rock’s most renowned outfits of the 1960s (Traffic), his kinetic career includes a spell in Fleetwood Mac, and appearances on George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass and the Stones’ Beggar’s Banquet. He is also immortalized for playing the 12-string rhythm part on Jimi Hendrix’s recording of “All Along the Watchtower” on Electric Ladyland.
Mason’s current solo tour, which makes its way to Carmel’s Sunset Center on Tuesday, directs the focus onto his beloved 1970 solo debut Alone Together. Including Johnne Sambataro (guitar, vocals), Tony Patler (keyboards, vocals), Alvino Bennett (drums) and Bekka Bramlett (vocals), Alone Together earned commercial acclaim when “Only You Know and I Know” reached No. 42 on the U.S. Billboard charts. Mason is in the process of recording a reimagined version of the record, which originally featured an array of special guests, from Rita Coolidge to the recently deceased Leon Russell.
“I was 22 doing [Alone Together], and I never liked [it] because when I listen to my voice I realize now it has matured,” Mason recently told the Los Angeles Times. “This new recording is so much better. It’s interesting and maybe a whole new generation of kids will enjoy it.”
In addition to delivering the reconfigured version of Alone Together, a record will be sandwiched between Mason fan favorites, from “Feelin’ Alright” to “Dear Mr. Fantasy” to Mason’s take on “All Along the Watchtower.”
Meanwhile, Mason will keep performing. “I have a great group of musicians and we are all working musicians,” he says. “We live to stand up there and be great.”
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