February 12, 1998
It takes some pretty serious balls to name yourself after one of the Twelve Wonders of the World, but as the man said, it ain't bragging if you've got the goods. Bluesman Taj Mahal's got them in spades. An overwhelming talent with a unique take on rural, pre-war blues, Taj Mahal is one of the few living bluesmen who understands the healing, uplifting power of blues. His blues are the most cheerful, warmest blues you'll ever hear, and the force of his huge, gregarious personality masks the fact of his incredible talent. The music just flows out of him naturally, and you may not notice at first just how good he is in everything he attempts.
Taj's talent lies in his worldly approach to rhythm, tying blues riff to beats and sounds culled from reggae, funk and soul, as evident on the shockingly muscular "Leaving Trunk", the opening track. Reverbed-soaked blues harp slices through Bootsy-style bass lines and a funky back beat, while Taj belts out some serious shouting that would do Howlin Wolf proud.
Taj's warm, gritty voice recalls Wilson Pickett at his rawest, but in quieter moments his vocals sigh like a turtledove; Taj lets his formidable arsenal of techniques serve the songs, rather than using the 12-bar structure as a platform for showboating. And those techniques are something to hear - the uptempo reworking of Willie McTell's "Statesboro Blues" and Elmore James' "Dust My Broom" showcase his mean slide guitar and fiery sense of rhythm. He updates Mississippi John Hurt's "Frankie and Albert" with a seductive acoustic boogie and moaning gospel backup singers, and turns in the definitive version of "Corinna Corinna" by linking it to gentle organ, soulful picking and a Caribbean rhythm - this song is so openly loving it'll make you blush, or weep, or both.
The centerpiece of the collection is undoubtedly "East Bay Woman". Just Taj and his National steel body guitar, the nine minute tribute to Robert Johnson is testament to Taj's abilities. That emotive, insinuating voice, thrilling slide runs up the guitar neck punctuated by bass string plucks, this mellow boogie allows him to stretch out and cast some sunshine on the muddy plains of the Delta. No midnight crossroads for this bluesman, though - talent this sweet comes not from deals with the Devil, but straight from heaven.
- Jared O'Connor
Heaven-sent talent