Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Leaving Trunk
2. Statesboro Blues
3. Celebrated Walkin' Blues
4. She Caught The Katy And Left Me A Mule To Ride
5. Corinna
6. Going Up To The Country Paint My Mailbox Blue
7. Take A Giant Step
8. Six Days On The Road
9. Country Blues #1
10. Fishin' Blues
11. Ain't Gwine Whistle Dixie (Anymo')
12. You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond
13. Happy Just To Be Like I Am
14. West Indian Revelation
15. Texas Woman Blues
16. Cakewalk Into Town
17. Frankie And Albert
18. Railroad Bill

Disc 2:

1. Johnny Too Bad
2. Slave Driver
3. Clara St Kitts Woman
4. When I Feel The Sea Beneath My Soul
5. Satisfied 'n' Tickled Too
6. Love Theme In The Key Of D
7. Everybody Is Somebody
8. Crossing (Lonely Day)
9. Don't Call Us
10. Big Legged Mommas Are Back In Style
11. That's How Strong My Love Is
12. Here In The Dark
13. Lovin' In My Baby's Eyes
14. Senor Blues
15. New Hula Blues
16. Queen Bee
17. Cruisin'
18. John Henry

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7541 in Music
• Released on: 2006-09-25
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Import

Customer Reviews

The best overview thus far of the recorded legacy of Henry St. Clair Fredericks (aka Taj Mahal)

During a recording career now exceeding forty years, Taj Mahal - now 66 years old - has slowly, but surely, become a genuine blues legend in his own right. At first keeping the blues tradition alive, he very soon began to broaden its scope by incorporating American soul, West African, Afro Caribbean, Hawaiian and jazz influences in his musical stew. He also experimented by mixing various instruments into his music. His use of a tuba section on "The Real Thing", for example, was both innovative and exquisite.

His often gruff, but occasionally mellow or plaintive singing voice is entirely his own but always reminds me of the older Mississippi bluesmen. His command of the slide guitar is truly impressive. His powerful delivery brings to mind the playing of Bukka White. He also plays other instruments, including banjo, acoustic bass and piano.

His discography is impressive indeed, with more than forty albums credited to his name (some of them collaborations). This is all the more remarkable since Taj Mahal never sold records by the truckload. On the other hand, his tireless touring always kept him in the public's view.

Those albums have been released on a variety of labels. Quite a few of them have been deleted and never made it onto CD. Only rabid collectors can afford to own the lot.

So, there was definitely a place for a compilation aimed at the Taj Mahal fan who, whilst familiar with the man's oeuvre, owns maybe a couple of his albums.

Releasing a balanced overview of such a huge body of work on a 36-track, 2-CD set was no mean feat. Columbia has wisely chosen to license tracks from various labels including Warner Bros., Private Music and Hannibal to add to its own recordings. The album cherry-picks highlights recorded between 1967 and 2005.

The compiler has wisely chosen to present the tracks in chronological order. This gives the listener the opportunity to appreciate the evolution in Taj Mahal's music over the years. One can say that, while rooted in the blues, Taj Mahal never was a traditionalist. As the years are passing by, one is struck by the fact that Mahal sometimes plays with a musicologist bent.

The accompaniment is always stellar, but there are too many names to mention. However, bringing in musicians like Ry Cooder, Al Kooper, Howard Johnson, the Pointer Sisters, Eric Clapton, Toumani Diabate and even Sheryl Crow - to name but a few - brings a lot of diversity to the proceedings. Taj Mahal, however, stays in command throughout.

The remastering is very well done and lets the music really shine through the loudspeakers.

This excellent cross-section view of Taj Mahal's music is a must for anybody who loves not only the man himself but blues music in general.

Should you want to own only one of Taj Mahal's albums, let this compilation be the one!