(Translated from my original Italian text by ChatGPT)
Taj Mahal (Henry Fredericks), an African-American musician born in Harlem, the son of a Jamaican jazz pianist and a gospel singer, and a graduate in veterinary medicine, honed his skills playing in Boston clubs. In 1965 he arrived in Los Angeles, took the name of the famous Indian temple, and formed the Rising Sons with Ry Cooder. Their recordings would not be released until twenty years later on Rising Sons (Metro Music, 1985). His ethnomusicological interests found expression not so much on his first album Taj Mahal (Columbia, 1967), but on the second, Natch'l Blues (Columbia, 1969), which relied especially on Mahal’s harmonica and Jesse Ed Davis’s guitar, one of the most original of the era’s “blues revival.” The long Done Changed My Way Of Living stands out, already typical of his simultaneously affectionate, humorous, and austere style. Instead of following in the footsteps of the Chicago masters of the previous decade, Mahal dug further back in time, embracing an archaic and innocent style: that of country blues, marching bands, plantations, and gospel services.
Giant Step (Columbia, 1969) was his “rock” album. Backed by an electric band, Mahal roamed through the roaring jump-blues of Give Your Mother What She Wants and the aggressive boogie of Six Days On The Road. The twin album De Ole Folks At Home remains his masterpiece. With a dark, visceral voice, weathered by alcohol and sun, and a capricious exploration of the folk heritage of African-American communities—from soul to reggae, from the Caribbean to Louisiana—Mahal reinvented the Delta tradition, adding the exuberance of ragtime and combining it with an eclectic journey through the streets of early 20th-century rural America.
Alone with his banjo, harmonica, and voice, Mahal paints thirteen thrilling period snapshots, from the spare, poignant melancholy of A Little Soulful Tune, a conversation-like piece where he beats the rhythm with his hands and simulates an orchestra with closed lips, to the colorful banjo solo of Colored Aristocracy, from the quirky rag of Blind Boy Rag to the harmonica solo of Cajun Tune.
It was only the beginning. Album after album, Mahal would rummage through ever-changing closets to bring back to light the most neglected ghosts of folk music. On the live Real Thing (Columbia, 1971), he employed a nine-piece orchestra, complete with tubas and trombones, to create an authorial divertissement in the roaring years of jazz. The album also features other surreal vignettes in which he transfigures the music of the early decades of the century: the ironic Fishing Blues, for voice and guitar only, the driving dance jump of Sweet Mama Jamisse with unleashed tubas, and Tom Sally And Drake, a picturesque duet between banjo and tuba (Howard Johnson) that merges bluegrass and march. The album closes with the almost twenty-minute rant of You Ain't No Street Walker Mama. The version of Ain't Gwine To Whistle for flute, clarinet, congas, and orchestra remained for a long time the theme of his concerts.
His genius is especially evident in the most ascetic period of Happy Just Like I Am (Columbia, 1971), with West Indian Revelation, Recycling The Blues (Columbia, 1972), and Ooh So Good'n'Blues (Columbia, 1973), particularly in the solos, some of the most brilliant and engaging in modern blues; some slow and reflective, others driving and tribal: the voodoo acoustic guitar of Black Spirit Boogie (1971), the gypsy guitar of Gitano Blues (1972), the solo voice and clapping of Free Song (1972), a true collective exorcism, the country banjo of Ricochet (1972), the guitar of Buck Dancer's Choice (1973). Also memorable are the unorthodox gags of Cakewalk Into Town (1972), with Johnson's tuba, clapping, and whistle, and Teacup's Jazzy Blues Tune (1973).
(Clicka qua per la versione Italiana)
With Mo' Roots (Columbia, 1974) Mahal assimilated
cajun (Cajun Waltz) and Caribbean rhythms
(Johnny Too Bad, Slave Driver, Clara St. Kitts Woman).
Music Keeps Me Together (Columbia, 1975) introduced the
Intergalactic Soul Messengers Band and one of his classics,
When I Feel the Sea Beneath My Soul.
Satisfied 'n' Tickled Too (Warner, 1976) was a more traditional
album, but
another Caribbean classic, Curry, appeared on
Music Fuh Yuh (Warner, 1977).
Mahal also worked on
the soundtrack for Brothers (Warner, 1977), containing
Love Theme In The Key Of D.
Evolution (Warner, 1978) continued the string of experimental
world-fusion albums, adding
The Most Recent Evolution of Muthafusticus Modernusticus
and Queen Bee to the repertory.
To achieve his goal Mahal formed the world-music ensemble
International Rhythm Band (Magnet, 1980).
After a long hiatus, during which he relocated to Hawaii,
Mahal released Taj (Gramavision, 1987), an album that updated his sound
to the age of synthesizers and drum machines (with even a hit of disco-music).
Suddenly, very busy with all sorts of projects, Mahal
also worked on four albums of music for children,
Shake Sugaree (Music For Little People, 1987),
Big Blues (1988),
Brer' Rabbit (Windham Hill, 1990) and
children Smilin' Island Of Song (1992), and the
soundtrack to a theatrical play, Mulebone (Gramavision, 1991).
Taj's Blues (1992) compiles some outtakes and live performances.
Mahal's commercial resurgence began with the pop-oriented material on
Like Never Before (Private, 1991), particularly the spectacular
jump-boogie Big Legged Mommas Are Back In Style.
Mahal, backed by Pointer Sisters, turntablists, electronic keyboardists,
Hall & Oates, Dr John, David Lindley, romps through funk and reggae and the
usual blues.
Dancin' The Blues (Private, 1993), with the backing of a rock band
features some of his best compositions in years
(Blues Ain't Nothing, Strut).
World Music (Legacy, 1993) is an anthology of Mahal's world-music
favorites.
Phantom Blues (Private, 1996) is a collection of
rock, soul and blues oldies, but
the Phantom Blues Band became the main expressive vehicle for Taj Mahal's
odd world-music project. It will be captured live on
Shoutin' In Key (2000).
An Evening Of Acoustic Music (Tradition And Moderne, 1994)
captures a live solo performance.
Back to his roots, Senor Blues (Private, 1997) explores
blues, jazz and soul with a solid no-frills backind band.
Blue Light Boogie (1999) is a collection of old material.
The "Hawaian" period peaked with
Sacred Island (Private, 1997). Mahal, backed by the Hula Blues Band
(mostly veterans from the International
Rhythm Band and the Intergalactic Soul Messengers Band),
returns to the naive/goofy attidude of his early albums in a set of
delightful compositions for mandolin, kalimba, ukulele and slide like
Sacred Island, The Calypsonians and
New Hula Blues.
Hanapepe Dream (Tradition & Moderne, 2001) was the follow-up, but
lacked both the charm and the material.
Following the example set by his friend Ry Cooder,
Mumtaz Mahal (Water Lily, 1995) is a collaboration with Indian musicians
and
Kulanjan (Hannibal, 1999) is a collaboration with African musicians.
The 3 CD-set In Progress & In Motion (1965-1998) is a wonderful
career-spanning anthology.
Hanapepe Dream (2001) sounded like a survey of world-music.
Maestro (2008), his first studio album in five years, was rather disappointing.
Hidden Treasures (2012) collected unreleased music of 1969-1973.
Labor of Love (2016) was recorded in 1998.
TajMo, the duo of Taj Mahal and Keb' Mo', debuted with TajMo (2017).
Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder collaborated on Get on Board (2022), an album of Sonny Terry & Brownie Mcghee covers.
