A Beginner's Guide to the Taj Mahal in 10 Essential Videos

Grammy-winning Taj Mahal counts Led Zeppelin among his opening acts and Barack Obama among his fans. Here are ten key moments from a 40-year career.

Leave the trunk

Taj Mahal's big crossover moment should have been The Rock'n'Roll Circus of the Rolling Stonesan all-star event filmed for the BBC in December 1968. Taj performed alongside the Stones, The Who, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Marianne Faithfull and Jethro Tull.

Unfortunately, Jagger & Co. were dissatisfied with their own performance and decided to leave the material until 1996. This cover of Sleepy John Estes' Leave the trunk was one of four songs by Mahal and his band, the others were I'm looking after my baby, Corinna And Isn't that a lot of love.

Taj Mahal, Homer Banks – Ain't That A Lot Of Love (Official Video) [4K] – YouTube

Watch on

Tomorrow may not be your day

In 1971, Taj was on his fourth album – Happy just to be who I am – in as many years. Recorded in the German television show BeatClubthis version of Tomorrow may not be your day shows the band at their best blues, with Mahal being ably supported by his songwriter and guitarist Jesse Ed Davis.

Bounce

In December 1972, actress Cicely Tyson starred alongside Taj in the American television series Soul!primarily to promote the film Soundera Depression-era drama about the lives of black sharecroppers in Louisiana. Mahal played several pieces from the soundtrack, along with the dazzling, banjo-driven Bounce. The song can be found on Taj's own album from this year, Recycling the blues and other similar things.

She caught the Katy

Co-written with Tennessee Blues legend James 'Yank' Rachell, She caught the Katy (and left me a mule to ride)originally appeared in 1969 on The Natch'l BluesIn October 1989, Mahal appeared in the television show Night musica show for jazz musicians that aired for two seasons. Here he is accompanied by Todd Rundgren and Pat Metheny, among others, for a spectacular finale.

Fishing in the Blues

The Texan guitarist Henry Thomas laid the foundation for the ragtime blues in the late 1920s. His composition Fishing in the Bluesoriginally recorded in 1965 by Lovin' Spoonful, was one of the highlights of Taj's De Old people at homewhich came out four years later. Here he is some three decades later, giving it an acoustic treatment at Amoeba Records in San Francisco.

Corinna Corinna

Taj recorded traditional folk blues for the first time Corinna Corinna in the mid-'60s, during his brief collaboration with Ry Cooder in The Rising Sons. It was a song he would revisit several times throughout his career, including onstage with the Rolling Stones in St. Louis in 1997. This version, however, comes from the second annual Boulder Roots and Blues Festival in May 2012.

Slow pulling

The recipient of his first Grammy Award for Señor Blues In 1998, Mahal and his trio were still on the rise when they performed at Later Live with Jools Holland in November 2010, with a snappy cover of Hank Ballard's The Hoochi Coochi Coo. For once, Jools Holland was not sitting at the piano and we should all be thankful for that.

“Taj Mahal” “Hoochi Coochi Coo” HD – YouTube

Watch on

Only a closer path with you

Album and film Play The Blues: Live from Jazz at Lincoln Centre, recorded in April 2011, was essentially a show for Wynton Marsalis and Eric Clapton, but featured a special guest, one of Clapton's late '60s heroes, Taj Mahal, who takes the reins for a blistering rendition of an old New Orleans gospel hymn.

Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton, Taj Mahal Just A Closer Walk With Thee 52adler varied music – YouTube

Watch on

Six days on the road

In May 2013, after having been a guest at the Bridges to Babylon Tour, Taj was invited on stage by the Stones in Chicago. Keyword: hardtime blues and a very bright shirt. Six days on the roadMade famous 50 years ago by country star Dave Dudley, it is a tribute to the American trucking tradition.

6 days on the road LIVE The Rolling Stones with Taj Mahal 5/28/13 United Center Chicago – YouTube

Watch on

Statesboro Blues

Mahal’s ability to reinterpret has perhaps never been better illustrated than on Statesboro BluesOriginally by Blind Willie McTell. The song was the central pillar of his debut LP in 1968 and his subsequent live performance.

It's hard to decide which of these 2014 versions is better, so why not enjoy both? The first, featuring Gregg Allman, comes from All My Friends: The songs and the voice of Gregg AllmanThe second, from September's Americana Music Awards in Nashville (where Taj won a Lifetime Achievement Award for his performance), features his old pal Ry Cooder.

“Statesboro Blues” with Taj Mahal and Gregg Allman – YouTube

Watch on

A Beginner's Guide to the Taj Mahal in 10 Essential Videos

Leave the trunk

You may also like...

Recent Posts

A Beginner's Guide to the Taj Mahal in 10 Essential Videos

Leave the trunk

You may also like...

West Valley dental group helps wrongfully convicted man

New Meta Quest 3S photo leak shows “spider eyes” design

Americans became more “pessimistic” about the labor market in August, while overall confidence rose

Recent Posts