Taj Mahal

One of the most important and influential Blues albums of all time.
This was Taj Mahal’s third album and, at a time when the original Blues musicians were beginning to die, often unrecognised, it reintroduced traditional Blues forms to a modern audience.

Split into two parts, ‘Giant Steps’ an electric album with Jesse Ed Davies & ‘De Ole folks At Home’ an acoustic album showing various forms of Country Blues and Folk Blues.

Taj Mahal’s prodigious skills on guitar, banjo and harmonica are on display all through, and Mahal’s vocals while reminiscent of classic Delta Bluesmen and more Northern based Blues artists, are clean and have a hint of humour behind them.
Many of the tracks are written by Taj Mahal but he also includes numbers by Huddie Ledbetter (Leadbelly), Rev Gary Davis, Harold Logan & Lloyd Price and traditional songs, as well as more modern numbers by Garth Hudson & Robbie Robertson, Carole King & Don Goffin.

Musically, it is a delight. Most of the music arrangements are simple and designed to show of the song rather than overbearing productions. Mahal’s vocals have the ring of a man who has played and sung with the original musicians (his upbringing in Harlem & Massachusetts in a musical family led him to play with musicians like Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Muddy Waters.
Standout tracks are ‘Six Days On The Road’, ‘Further On Up The Road’, ‘Stagger Lee’ & ‘A Little Soulful Tune’ – all show the delight in both Taj’s voice and the music itself.

Frankly, it should be in every Blues fans collection.