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TAJ MAHAL
Henry Saint Clair Fredericks (born May 17, 1942), who uses the stage name Taj Mahal, is an internationally recognized blues musician with two Grammy Awards to date who folds various forms of world music into his offerings. A self-taught singer-songwriter and film composer who plays the guitar, banjo and harmonica (among many other instruments), Mahal has done much to reshape the definition and scope of blues music over the course of his almost 50 year career by fusing it with nontraditional forms, including sounds from the Caribbean, Africa and the South Pacific.
This fine art print was reproduced on the highest quality paper to capture the vivid color and detail of the original artwork. Size: 19 1/2 inches x 13 3/8 inches
Renaissance musician and multi-instrumentalist Taj Mahal brings his distinctive brand of blues to the Bahamas in this performance captured live in St. Lucia and featuring some of Mahal's best loved hits. Songs include "Stranger in My Own Home Town", "Easy. Interview with Taj Mahal.
American folk musicians Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal, once musical partners, have had careers which are at once conservative and innovative, imbuing the best of folk traditions with their own powerful style. In The Unbroken Circle, Fred Metting challenges the musical labels that often bind artists as he explores the inspirational sources behind these two men. Cooder was influenced by ragtime-blues, bottleneck gospel blues, Norte o music, as well as epic folk ballads. Mahal surrounded himself with Afro-Caribbean music, Chicago blues and Hawaiian music. Both of these artists created a collage from these sources, resisting categories and always driving for the emotional center of the musical experience. Metting traces the parallels between the two, in their careers and their musical backgrounds. He demonstrates how American music transcends classification, finding definition in its very fluidity. The result of a study such as this is not only a respect for the earlier musical sources, but also a desire to continue the tradition of adaptation and change. The Unbroken Circle is a book well-suited for music students, American folklorists, and fans of the musicians profiled.
Track Listing: 1. Buck Dancer's Choice - (Oooh So Good'n Blues), 2. Little Red Hen - (Oooh So Good'n Blues), 3. Oh Mama Don't You Know - (Oooh So Good'n Blues), 4. Frankie and Albert - (Oooh So Good'n Blues), 5. Railroad Bill - (Oooh So Good'n Blues), 6. Dust My Broom - (Oooh So Good'n Blues), 7. Built for Comfort - (Oooh So Good'n Blues), 8. Teacup's Jazzy Blues Tune - (Oooh So Good'n Blues), 9. Conch (Introduction) - (Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff), 10. Kalimba - (Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff), 11. Bound to Love Me Some - (Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff), 12. Ricochet - (Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff), 13. Free Song, A (Rise Up Children Shake the Devil out of Your Soul) - (Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff), 14. Corinna - (Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff), 15. Conch (Close) - (Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff), 16. Cakewalk into Town - (Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff), 17. Sweet Home Chicago - (Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff), 18. Texas Woman Blues - (Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff), 19. Gitano Negro - (Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff)
Personnel: Taj Mahal (vocals, harmonica, dobro, kazoo); Johnny Lee Schell (guitar); Jon Cleary (piano, Wurlitzer piano); Mick Weaver (Hammond B-3 organ); Larry Fulcher (bass); Tony Braunagel (drums, percussion, tambourine); Sir Harry Bowens, Donna Taylor, Terrence Forsythe (background vocals).The Texacalli Horns: Darrell Leonard (trumpet, trombone, French Horn); Joe Sublett (tenor saxophone).Recorded at Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles, California. SENOR BLUES won the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Se or Blues is one of Taj Mahal's best latter-day albums, a rollicking journey through classic blues styles performed with contemporary energy and flair. There's everything from country-blues to jazzy uptown blues on Se or Blues, and Taj hits all of areas in between, including R & B and soul. Stylistically, it's similar to most of his albums, but he's rarely been as effortlessly fun and infectious as he is here. ~ Thom Owens
Personnel: Taj Mahal (vocals, dobro, harmonica); Bonnie Raitt (vocals); John Porter (acoustic guitar, guitar, slide guitar); Jon Cleary (guitar, piano, Wurlitzer piano, Clavinet, background vocals); Jon Brion (guitar, Chamberlin); Johnny Lee Schell (guitar, background vocals); Eric Clapton, Dean Parks, John Parks, Joe McGrath (guitar); Mike Campbell (12-string guitar); David Hidalgo (accordion); Joe Sublett, Bernard "Dr. B." Anderson (tenor saxophone); Darrell Leonard (trumpet, trombonium); Mick Weaver (organ); Larry Fulcher (bass, background vocals); James "Hutch" Hutchinson (bass); Tony Braunagel (drums, tambourine, percussion); "Freeze" Guillory (rub board); "Sir" Harry Bowens, "Sweet Pea" Atkinson, Terrence Forsythe, Regina Taylor, Alphanette Durio, Billy Barnum (background vocals).Recorded at Sound City Studios, Van Nuys, California on May 8-14, 1995 and House Of Blues Studios, Encino, California. PHANTOM BLUES was nominated for a 1997 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. An eclectic bluesman would seem to be a contradiction in terms, but Taj Mahal, who has moved through the worlds of folk, rock, and pop to reach his present categorization, fits the description, and here he takes several pop and R & B oldies that came from blues roots - "Ooh Poo Pah Doo," "Lonely Avenue," "What Am I Living For?" "Let the Four Winds Blow" - and returns them to those roots. He also calls in such guest stars as Eric Clapton and Bonnie Raitt, who have more than a nodding acquaintance with the blues, to assist him. The result is progressive blues hybrid that treats the music not as a source, but as a destination. ~ William Ruhlmann
Track Listing: 1. Good Morning Miss Brown, 2. Going Up to the Country and Paint My Mailbox Blue, 3. Freight Train, 4. Baby You're My Destiny, 5. You're Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond, 6. Corrine Corrina, 7. Queen Bee, 8. Sugar Mama Blues, 9. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl
Track Listing: 1. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, 2. Statesboro Blues, 3. Farther on Down the Road (You Will Accompany Me), 4. Jellyroll, 5. Big Mama, 6. Dust My Broom, 7. Johnny Too Bad, 8. Kalimba, 9. Stagger Lee, 10. Cajun Waltz
Track Listing: 1. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, 2. Statesboro Blues, 3. Farther on Down the Road (You Will Accompany Me), 4. Jellyroll, 5. Big Mama, 6. Dust My Broom, 7. Johnny Too Bad, 8. Kalimba, 9. Stagger Lee, 10. Cajun Waltz
Track Listing: 1. Buck Dancer's Choice - (featuring Taj Mahal), 2. Little Red Hen - (featuring Taj Mahal), 3. Oh Mama Don't You Know - (featuring Taj Mahal), 4. Frankie and Albert - (featuring Taj Mahal), 5. Railroad Bill - (featuring Taj Mahal), 6. Dust My Broom - (featuring Taj Mahal), 7. Built for Comfort - (featuring Taj Mahal), 8. Teacup's Jazzy Blues Tune - (featuring Taj Mahal), 9. Johnny Too Bad - (featuring Aston Barrett), 10. Blackjack Davey - (featuring Aston Barrett), 11. Big Mama - (featuring Aston Barrett), 12. Cajun Waltz - (featuring Aston Barrett), 13. Slave Driver - (featuring Aston Barrett), 14. Why Did You Have to Desert Me? - (featuring Aston Barrett), 15. Desperate Lover - (featuring Aston Barrett), 16. Clara (St. Kitts Woman) - (featuring Aston Barrett)
Track Listing: 1. Blue's Ain't Nothin' - (featuring Ian McLagan/John Porter/Taj Mahal/Tony Braunagel), 2. Hard Way - (featuring The Texacali Horns/Johnny Lee Schell/Michito S nchez/Mick Weaver/Richie Hayward/Taj Mahal/Bill Payne), 3. Strut - (featuring Ian McLagan/Johnny Lee Schell/Michito S nchez/Taj Mahal/Tony Braunagel), 4. Going to the River - (featuring The Texacali Horns/Johnny Lee Schell/Mick Weaver/Taj Mahal/Tony Braunagel), 5. Mockingbird - (featuring Etta James/The Texacali Horns/Johnny Lee Schell/Michito S nchez/Mick Weaver/Richie Hayward/Taj Mahal/Tony Braunagel/Bill Payne), 6. Blue Light Boogie - (featuring Ian McLagan/The Texacali Horns/Johnny Lee Schell/Taj Mahal/Tony Braunagel), 7. Hoochi Coochi Coo, The - (featuring Ian McLagan/Joe Sublett/Johnny Lee Schell/Marty Grebb/Sir Harry Bowens/Taj Mahal/Tony Braunagel), 8. That's How Strong My Love Is - (featuring The Texacali Horns/John Porter/Johnny Lee Schell/Mick Weaver/Richie Hayward/Taj Mahal/Bill Payne), 9. Down Home Girl - (featuring The Texacali Horns/John Porter/Johnny Lee Schell/Mick Weaver/Taj Mahal/Tony Braunagel/Bill Payne), 10. Stranger in My Own Home Town - (featuring Chuck Domanico/The Texacali Horns/Joe McGrath/Johnny Lee Schell/Mick Weaver/Taj Mahal/Tony Braunagel/Bill Payne), 11. Sitting on Top of the World - (featuring Chuck Domanico/Johnny Lee Schell/Richie Hayward/Taj Mahal/Bill Payne), 12. I'm Ready - (featuring The Texacali Horns/Johnny Lee Schell/Mick Weaver/Taj Mahal/Tony Braunagel/Bill Payne), 13. I Can't Help Myself (Sugarpie Honeybunch)
Personnel includes: Taj Mahal (vocals, National steel guitar, harmonica); Jesse Ed Davis (guitar, piano); Al Kooper (piano); Gary Gilmore (bass); Chuck Blackwell, Earl Palmer (drums).Producer: David Rubinson. Reissue producer: Bob Irwin. Recorded in May & October 1968. Originally released on Columbia (9698). Includes liner notes by Stanley Crouch. Digitally remastered by Vic Anesini (Sony Music, New York, New York).Although Taj Mahal's second album was recorded and released within months of his self-titled debut, THE NATCH'L BLUES moves away from that album's largely acoustic Delta blues leanings into a more electric and rock-influenced sound. "Move away from" hardly means "forsake," however. Among the songs beefed up by organist Al Kooper and drummer Earl Palmer is the traditional folk standard "The Cuckoo," which takes to rock-influenced instrumentation much better than one might think. Similarly, a moving rendition of William Bell's "You Don't Miss Your Water" reaffirms the Stax/Volt pop song's blues roots. The best songs on THE NATCH'L BLUES, however, are the Taj Mahal originals that sound like old country blues standards, like the fearsome full-band rocker "She Caught the Katy" and the powerful solo opener "Good Morning Miss Brown." This CD reissue adds three bonus tracks, highlighted by an earlier, faster take on "The Cuckoo," and the stomping Chicago-style instrumental "Things Are Gonna Work Out Fine."
This two-fer reissue on Wounded Bird pairs two of Taj Mahal's later albums for Columbia that, in all honesty, sound like different aspects of the same recording session though one is live. 1972's Recycling the Blues is a live album that features Mahal playing a National steel guitar, conch shell, kalimba, and upright bass on one track, in the company of the Pointer Sisters and with handclaps by Howard Johnson. The material is prime acoustic blues with a Caribbean bent. The first two tracks feature solo conch and kalimba pieces respectively, and mix originals and blues classics including "Sweet Home Chicago" and "Corinna." The latter recording, Ooooh So Good `N Blues, offers more variety in terms of instrumentation (and also includes the Pointer Sisters) but relies far more heavily on standards than originals. Tracks such as "Frankie and Albert," "Railroad Bill," "Little Red Hen," and "Dust My Broom," (an acoustic version of a track he cut on his debut), are all faithful renditions, but add little to the blues lineage. Add to this Wounded Bird's typically dodgy packaging, and it's really for the completist only. A better buy is the BGO imprint's reissue pairing of Oooh So Good `N Blues with Mo' Roots. Though they are not in chronological order, they showcase two very different sides of Mahal's musical oeuvre in that Mo' Roots showcases Mahal's early obsession with reggae. ~ Thom Jurek
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