The mythology of American blues is filled with images of the lone musician standing at the crossroads, caught in that gray area between light and shadow, cutting impossible deals with dark forces, offering up nothing less than his soul as collateral.
Composer and multi-instrumentalist Taj Mahal, a two-time GRAMMY® winner and one of the most influential American blues and roots artists of the past half-century, has made no Faustian deals in his long and distinguished career, but he stands at an important crossroads nonetheless. In his never-ending exploration of the complex origins and underpinnings of American music, he has forged a four-decade career by gathering and distilling countless musical traditions from a range of geographical and cultural sources: the Mississippi Delta, the Appalachian backwoods, the African continent, the Hawaiian islands, Europe, the Caribbean and so much more. Taj Mahal doesn’t just stand at the crossroads. He is the crossroads.
This twelve-track set – his first U.S. release in five years – marks the fortieth anniversary of Taj’s rich and varied recording career by mixing original material with chestnuts from vintage sources and newcomers alike. Guests on this anniversary gala include Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Angelique Kidjo, Los Lobos, Ziggy Marley and others – many of whom have been directly influenced by Taj’s music and guidance.
1 Scratch My Back
Performer – The Phantom Blues Band
Producer – Taj Mahal, The Phantom Blues Band
4:20
2 Never Let You Go
Acoustic Guitar [Jarana] – Louie Perez
Bass – Conrad Lozano
Drums – Cougar Estrada
Guitar – Cesar Rosas, David Hidalgo
Organ – Steve Berlin
Performer – Los Lobos
Producer – Taj Mahal
Trombone – Angela Wellman
Ukulele – Taj Mahal
4:44
3 Dust Me Down
Guitar, Harmonica – Taj Mahal
Producer – Ben Harper
Vocals – Ben Harper
3:29
4 Further On Down The Road
Backing Vocals – Deva Mahal
Harmonica, Banjo – Taj Mahal
Keyboards – Mick Weaver
Performer – The Phantom Blues Band
Producer – Taj Mahal, The Phantom Blues Band
4:51
5 Black Man, Brown Man
Banjo – Taj Mahal
Producer – Taj Mahal
Saxophone [Alto] – Rudy Costa
Vocals – Ziggy Marley
3:54
6 Zanzibar
Bass – Bill Rich
Drums, Percussion – Kester Smith
Percussion – Debra Dobkin
Percussion [Kora] – Toumani Diabate*
Producer – Taj Mahal
Vocals – Angelique Kidjo*
Xalam [Ngoni] – Bassekou Kouyate
5:53
7 TV Mama
Harmonica – Taj Mahal
Producer – Taj Mahal
3:42
8 I Can Make You Happy
Guitar, Harmonica – Taj Mahal
Producer – Warren Haynes
4:58
9 Slow Drag
Banjo – Taj Mahal
Performer – The Phantom Blues Band
Producer – Taj Mahal, The Phantom Blues Band
6:33
10 Hello Josephine
Guitar – Taj Mahal
Producer – Warren Haynes
4:47
11 Strong Man Holler
Guitar – Taj Mahal
Producer – Taj Mahal
5:49
12 Diddy Wah Diddy
Harmonica – Taj Mahal
Performer – The Phantom Blues Band
Producer – Taj Mahal, The Phantom Blues Band
4:37