[.ca] Best Of

From Amazon.com:
Taj Mahal's been chasing the blues around the world for years, but rarely with the passion, energy, and clarity he brought to his first three albums. Taj Mahal, The Natch'l Blues and The Real Thing are the sound of the artist, who was born in 1942, defining himself and his music. On his self-titled 1967 debut, he not only honors the sound of the Delta masters with his driving National steel guitar and hard vocal shout, but ladles in elements of rock and country with the help of guitarists Ry Cooder and the late Jessie Ed Davis. This approach is reinforced and broadened by The Natch'l Blues. What's most striking is Mahal's way of making even the oldest themes sound as if they're part of a new era. Not just through the vigor of his playing--relentlessly propulsive, yet stripped down compared with the six-string ornamentations of the original masters of country blues--but through his singing, which possesses a knowing insouciance distinct to post-Woodstock counterculture hipsters. It's the voice of an informed young man who knows he's offering something deep to an equally hip and receptive audience. Soon, Mahal turned his multicultural vision of the blues even further outward. The live 1971 set, The Real Thing, finds him still carrying the Mississippi torch, while adding overt elements of jazz and Afro-Caribbean music to its flame. But it's overreaching. His band sounds under-rehearsed, and the arrangements seem more like rough outlines. Nonetheless, these albums set the stage for Mahal's career. (For a condensed version, try the fine The Best of Taj Mahal.) Today, he continues to make fine fusion albums, like 1999's Kulanjan, with Malian kora master Toumani Diabate, and less exciting but still eclectic recordings with his Phantom Blues Band. --Ted Drozdowski

What a phenominal way to be introduced to Taj:
This is a great collection for fans old and new. Taj has such an amazing way of approaching blues and roots music, and this is a great demonstration. My wife isn't much of a blues fan, but she loves this album.

What A Find!:
I had heard the name Taj Mahal over the years but never took the time to investigate his music. Then one day I heard the song "Fishing Blues" on the radio and it sparked my interest. When I saw that he had this "Best Of..." collection I figured I'd take a chance, I haven't stopped playing it since then. What a find, this is great music! Every track on this cd touched me in some way. Songs like "Statesboro Blues", "Leaving Trunk", and "She Caught The Katy" are gritty, bluesy, and soulful. Taj sings with a voice that was made for the blues, and plays a mean harmonica to boot. Aside from the songs on this collection that really cook, there are others that seem to transend the blues and create a different feeling. "Corinna", "Take A Giant Step" and "Johnny Too Bad" are more thoughtful and laid back, making for a good mix of tempos'. All in all this is a collection of incredible music from a great artist,and track for track, it's one of the best albums I have ever purchased.

Great Place to Get a Taste:
This collection focuses on the very early Taj Mahal and contains most of his early classics. For anyone not familiar with this artist this is a great place to start. You get a full taste of "Taj Mahal", "The Natch'l Blues" and "The Real Thing"(with the tuba band), his first 3 excellent albums, and it is obvious from these how eclectic a blues performer he is. Taj Mahal has always been one of my favorites, and he presented one of the best live shows I have ever seen. He is touring this summer so check him out if you get a chance, and delve deeply into the rest of his recorded material, particularly "Senor Blues".

• Statesboro Blues
• Leaving Trunk
• Corrina
• Going up to the Country, Paint My Mailbox Blue
• She Caught the Katy (And Left Me a Mule to Ride)
• Take a Giant Step
• Six Days on the Road
• Farther on Down the Road (You Will Accompany Me)
• Fishin' Blues
• Ain't Gwine to Whistle Dixie Anymo' \oLive\c
• You're Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond \oLive\c
• Cakewalk into Town
• Oh, Susannah
• Frankie and Albert
• Chevrolet
• Johnny Too Bad
• Sweet Mama Janisse \oStudio Version\c\o#\c