Taj's Blues
is an entertainingly diverse record, featuring a variety of blues and roots-music styles, all fused together into a distinctive sound of its own. Half of the album is played on acoustic, the other with an electric band (which includes guitarists
Ry Cooder
and
Jesse Davis
on a handful of tracks), which gives a pretty good impression of the range of
Mahal's
talents. It's a good collection, featuring many of his best performances for Columbia, including
"Statesboro Blues"
and "Leaving Trunk," as well as the unreleased "East Bay Woman." ~ Thom Owens