Audio CD review:
Taj Mahal - Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home

Taj Mahal - Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home

Band: Taj Mahal Title: Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home Rating: Release Date: 2003-07-21 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Ain't Gwine to Whistle Dixie Anymo' - Taj Mahal, Mahal, Taj 2: Take a Giant Step - Taj Mahal, Goffin, Gerry 3: Give Your Woman What She Wants - Taj Mahal, Mahal, Taj 4: Good Morning Little School Girl - Taj Mahal, Williamson, Sonny B 5: You're Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond - Taj Mahal, Johnson, Blind Will 6: Six Days on the Road - Taj Mahal, Green, Earl 7: Farther on Down the Road (You Will Accompany Me) - Taj Mahal, Mahal, Taj 8: Keep Your Hands off Her - Taj Mahal, Leadbelly 9: Bacon Fat - Taj Mahal, Robertson, Jaime Ro 10: Linin' Track - Taj Mahal, Leadbelly 11: Country Blues No. 1 - Taj Mahal, Mahal, Taj 12: Wild Ox Moan - Taj Mahal, Hall, Vera 13: Light Rain Blues - Taj Mahal, Mahal, Taj 14: A Little Soulful Tune - Taj Mahal, Mahal, Taj 15: Candy Man - Taj Mahal, Davis, Gary [1] 16: Cluck Old Hen - Taj Mahal, Traditional 17: Coloured Aristocracy - Taj Mahal, Traditional 18: Blind Boy Rag - Taj Mahal, Mahal, Taj 19: Stagger Lee - Taj Mahal, Logan, Harold 20: Cajun Tune - Taj Mahal, Mahal, Taj 21: Fishing Blues - Taj Mahal, Thomas, Henry [1] 22: Annie's Lover - Taj Mahal, Traditional

Taj Mahal - The Man! My 4 older sisters helped mold my taste in music. I'm a product of the 60's. One of them owned this Taj Mahal LP when it came out in 1969. Prior to this recording, she had an earlier one with "Corina" on it that would get stuck in my brain for days. Giant Step is a must have CD! It's got great songs (Take a giant step, Farther on down the road, Annie's Lover, Stagger Lee, and Fishin' Blues), terrific banjo playing, and Taj' warm soulful persona comes through in his voice. He has made some great recordings over the years but this one is my all time favorite. You will love it and your children will love it. The music doesn't feel dated at all. . An American Classic...just wonderful! It is a wonderful cross section of delta blues sung as only Taj Mahal can. Giant Step by Taj Mahal is an American Classic plain and simple. The folksy blues rhythyms in this CD take you to different place. Originally released on vinyl in 1969 this album has lost none of its charm. The album opens with Ain't Gwine Whistle Dixie Anymore and just builds on that wonderful tune. My favorites are the gospel rich You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond, the countryish Six Days On The Road, the classic folk tune Candy Man, and finally the catchy child like Fishin Blues. Not a bad song in this collection. Taj Mahal should be honored at the Kennedy Center. He is an American original. A wonderful, naturally gifted singer, and performer. Finally, for a real treat catch Taj Mahal as Ike in the 1972 film classic Sounder. Buy this CD, you will not be disappointed. . Sitting on the porch with Taj A classic and a standout by an artist who has consistently made great music for decades. This is Taj Mahal at his best -- laid back, having fun, playing a combination of blues standards and his own stuff. . A Great American Album His perfect string bending solos and fills are backed up by his own keyboard work,(Taj himself makes -no- apparent instrumental contribution on tracks such as the classic re-working of 'Six Days On The Road'), the liner notes' calligraphy is by his hand, and the production bears a strong JEDIII sound, although uncredited . Taj at his best with a GREAT band , but -Jesse Ed Davis III- ,-alone-, is reason enough to need this cd. He manages to use modern effects,(for the time,such as guitar through a Leslie speaker), and still sound down-home all the while, and played impossibly difficult riffs with such grace,relaxation, and musicality that he could easily be taken for granted. Davis is a great forgotten American treasure,(perhaps best known for the fills and solos on Jackson Brown's 'Doctor My Eyes', {but even -that- was thirty years+ ago}, he was favorite of Eric Clapton and George Harrison). A Unique Experience He's usually labelled as a blues man - but his music is a mixture of all kinds of folk traditions - including american, african, and caribbean. If you've never heard him before, it's hard to describe Taj's music. I've seen him live several times - he's intelligent, articulate, warm, and has a great sense of humor. He plays a wide range of instruments - most often guitar or banjo. There is something truly special about him. His songs are usually playful and infectious - you just can't help tappin' your toes and humming along. He's recorded a number of great albums, but Giant Step has always been my favorite. The CD includes both albums in the original vinyl release, Giant Step and De Ole Folks At Home. On Giant Step, Taj is backed by a small group of electric blues musicians (featuring Jesse Ed Davis on lead guitar). On the more down-home De Ole Folks At Home, he plays solo, accompanying himself on guitar, banjo, and harmonica. My favorite song is "Take a Giant Step" - it's a tender look at rediscovering love. There's something about this song that captures Taj's essence - it's simple and direct and honest. Taj is a unique soul - his music always makes me feel good. You can see a complete list of all Taj Mahal discography, or go back to the Taj Mahal tabs