(Heads Up International)

Around the world with blues in tow

Taj Mahal is celebrating 40 years of recording with the release of Maestro, a blues and roots odyssey that journeys through African rhythms, Caribbean melodies and Motown funk on its way back to Southern America. The opening track, a cover of Otis Redding's Scratch My Back, may be 12 bar blues but its James Jameson bass line and punchy horns make it a driving funk number. Mahal sings with a gritty desperation, almost like the toil of racism in the deep south is still trickling through his bones. The likes of Los Lobos, Ben Harper, Ziggy Marley, Jack Johnson and Anjelique Kidjo also join Mahal on his expedition, lending their individual musical talents to the tracks with Mahal outstanding as bandleader. Kidjo's eerie quarter note vocal melody in Zanzibar takes you to the Ivory Caost whilst Ziggy Marley's Trenchtown presence on Black Man, Brown Man lends a Jamaican flavour to Mahal's trademark blues sound. It is no surprise this man has been successfully recording for 40 years and is referred to as legendary in some circles. Maestro lives up to its title.

KRISSI WEISS

Be first to comment on this article

Write Comment
Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Poster's IP addresses are logged.
Name:
Comment:
Code:*