Audio CD review:
Taj Mahal - Taj's Blues

Taj Mahal - Taj's Blues

Band: Taj Mahal Title: Taj's Blues Rating: Release Date: 1992-06-30 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Leaving Trunk - Taj Mahal, Estes, Sleepy John 2: Statesboro Blues - Taj Mahal, McTell, Blind Willi 3: Everybody's Got to Change Sometime - Taj Mahal, Estes, Sleepy John 4: Bound to Love Me Some - Taj Mahal, Traditional 5: Frankie and Albert - Taj Mahal, Hurt, Mississippi J 6: East Bay Woman - Taj Mahal, Mahal, Taj 7: Dust My Broom - Taj Mahal, James, Elmore 8: Corrina - Taj Mahal, Davis, Jesse [Guita 9: Jellyroll - Taj Mahal, Mahal, Taj 10: Fishin' Blues - Taj Mahal, Thomas, Henry [1] 11: Sounder Medley: Needed Time #2/Curiosity Blues/Horse Shoes/Needed Tim - Taj Mahal, Hopkins, Lightnin' 12: Country Blues No. 1 - Taj Mahal, Davis, J.E. III

I love Taj but not this album The production is simply sub par and over wrought with cheezy 80s keyboards. Big blues has POOR sound quality. If you want goo live Taj check out the Real Thing. I cring everytime I listen to Big Blues. Essential blues material The recording has a very earthy quality and a nice rough edge and is very true to the blues tradition. If you don't already have this one in your blues collection then you sure will need it soon! Taj's vocals shine through on this recording. Taj has a few albums where he wanders stylistically (even into reggae) but this one is pure blues. There are also a lot of good slide guitar and dobro licks here thanks to a few superb guest musicians. The music is sure to please both the blues fan as well as the blues musician. Really excellent music His version of Frankie and Albert with the Pointer Sisters singing and cackling in the background is fabulous. Great tunes all the way through. You can see where the Allman Brothers Band got their version of Statesboro Blues--it was from this version by Taj, Jesse Ed Davis, and Ry Cooder. You can see a complete list of all Taj Mahal discography, or go back to the Taj Mahal tabs