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Albums 1968 - 2008↓ Click on Title for Details
1968 TAJ MAHAL Columbia
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Taj Mahal’s self-titled debut instantly establishes him as one of the great missionaries and visionaries of the blues.” Original liner-notes, Vintage Photos, Liner notes by Stanley Crouch, digitally remastered. |
1968 ROCK –N - ROLL CIRCUS DVD/CD ABKCO Records released 1996
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In 1968, Taj was a featured guest in the Rolling Stones' Rock And Roll Circus - a remarkable event, which was released on video and record for the first time after an almost 30-year wait, that showcased the cream of the music community including John Lennon, George Harrison, Jethro Tull, The Who, and Marianne Faithfull. |
1968 NATCH’L BLUES Columbia
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Following his self-titled 1968 debut by only a few months, The Natch’l Blues is a riveting blend of superb musicianship and songwriting. Track Listing: Good Morning Miss Brown, Corrina, I Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Steal My Jellyroll, Going up to the Country, Paint My Mailbox Blue, Done Change My Way of Living, She Caught the Katy (And Left Me a Mule to Ride ), The Cuckoo, You Don't Miss Your Water ('Til You Well Runs Dry), Ain't That a Lot of Love, New Strangers Blues, Things Are Gonna Work Out Fine |
1969 GIANT STEP Columbia
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Taj Mahal –vocals, Harmonica, Banjo and National Steel Acoustic guitar Jesse Edwin Davis – Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, & Organ Gary Gilmore – Electric Bass / Chuck Blackwell- Drums
Track Listing:
Ain't Gwine to Whistle Dixie Anymo', Take a Giant Step, Give Your Woman What She Wants, Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, You're Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond, Six Days on the Road, Farther on Down the Road, Keep Your Hands off Her, Bacon Fat, Linin' , Country Blues No. 1
Wild Ox Moan, Light Rain Blues, A Little Soulful Tune, Candy Man, Cluck Old Hen, Colored Aristocracy
Blind Boy Rag, Stagger Lee, Cajun Tune, Fishin' Blues, Annie's Lover
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1971 THE REAL THING Columbia
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Vintage Taj Mahal Live! Complete 1971 performance at the Fillmore East. Liner notes by Stanley Crouch, vintage photos, digitally remastered.
Track Listing:
Fishin' Blues, Ain't Gwine to Whistle Dixie Anymo', Sweet Mama Janisse
Going up to the Country, Paint My Mailbox Blue, Big Kneed Gal
You're Gonna Need Somebody on Your Bond, Tom and Sally Drake
Diving Duck Blues, John, Ain't It Hard, She Caught the Katy (And Left Me a Mule to Ride)
You Ain't No Street Walker Mama
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1972 HAPPY TO BE JUST LIKE I AM Columbia available on Vinyl
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Jesse Ed Davis John Simon, Bill Rich, Howard Johnson
Track Listing:
Happy Just To Be Like I Am, Chevrolet, Stealin', Eighteen Hammers
Tomorrow May Not Be Your Day, Oh Susanna, West Indian Revelation
Black Spirit Boogie
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1972 SOUNDER
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An extremely powerful and uplifting story about a family of black sharecroppers, the Morgans, set in rural Louisiana during the early 1930s Starring: Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, Kevin Hooks, Carmen Mathews, Taj Mahal Soundtrack written and composed by Taj Mahal |
1972 RECYCLING THE BLUES & OTHER RELATED STUFF Columbia available on Vinyl
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Track Listing:
Conch, Kalimba, Bound To Love Me Some, Ricochet, A Free Song, Corrina
Conch Close, M'Banjo, Cakewalk Into Town, Sweet Home Chicago, Texas Woman Blues
Gitano Negro
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1973 OOH SO GOOD IN BLUE Columbia available on Vinyl
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Track Listing:
Buck Dancer's Choice, Little Red Hen, Mama Don't You Know
Frankie And Albert, Railroad Bill, Dust My Broom, Built For Comfort
Teacup's Jazzy Blues Tune
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1974 MO’ ROOTS Columbia
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It’s Classic Taj with his “Caribbean Roots” in full bloom!
Track Listing:
Johnny Too Bad, Black Jack Davey, Big Mama, Cajun Waltz Slave Driver,
Why Did You Have to Desert Me? Desperate Lover Clara (St. Kitts Woman)
Personnel:
Taj Mahal, Hoshal Wright, Bill Rich, Kwasi “Rocki” Dzidzornu, Kester “Smitty” Smith, Rudy Costa, & Merle Saunders. Aston “Familyman” Barrett ska piano on “Slave Driver” Sister Carole Fredericks, Tommy Henderson, Miss Claudia Lennear, & Miss Merry Clayton on background vocals.
“Slave Driver” remixed by Bob Marley and Aston “Familyman” Barrett of the Wailers.
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1975 MUSIC KEEPS ME TOGETHER Warner Bros. available on Vinyl
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Track listing:
Music Keeps Me Together,When I Feel the Sea Beneath My Soul
Dear Ladies, Aristocracy, Farther on Down the Road (You Will Accompany Me)
Roll, Turn, Spin, West Indian Revelation, My Ancestors, Brown Eyed Handsome Man
Why?...And We Repeat/Why?...And We Repeat
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1976 SATISFIED –N- TICKLED TOO Warner Bros. available on Vinyl
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Track Listing:
Satisfied & Tickled Too, New Ez Rider Blues, Black Man, Brown Man
Baby Love. Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do, Misty Morning Ride, Easy to Love
Old Time Song Old Time Love, We Tune
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1977 THE BROTHERS SOUNDTRACK available on Vinyl
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Track Listing:
1. Love theme in the key of D
2. Funky butt
3. Brother's doin time
4. Nightrider
5. Free the brothers
6. Sentidos Dulce (Sweet feelings)
7. Funeral march
8. Malcolm's song
9. David and Angela |
1977 MUSIC FUH YA Warner Bros. available on Vinyl
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Track Listing:
You Got It, Freight Train, Baby, You're My Destiny, Sailin' Into Walker's Cove, Truck Driver's Two Step, The Four Mills Brothers, Honey Babe, Curry |
1978 EVOLUTION Warner Bros. (most recent)
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Track Listing:
Sing A Happy Song, Queen Bee. Lowdown Showdown, The Most Recent Evolution of Muthafusticus Modernusticus, Why Do You Do Me This Way, Salsa de Laventille. The Big Blues, Highnite, Southbound With The Hammer Down |
1979 LIVE IN DIRECT
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Taj Mahal and The International Rhythm Band Personell:
Taj Mahal, Kester Smith, Bill Rich, Rudy Costa, Bryant "Tee" Parker, Robert Greenidge
The quality of this recording is the result of the Direct To Disc recording process. This compact disc was digitally mastered from the original master lacquer cut at the recording session, capturing the complete and unedited musical performance.
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1985 CONJURE: MUSIC FOR THE TEXTS OF ISHMAEL REED
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Here, Kip Hanrahan using texts from the contemporary author Ishmael Reed, distributes the composing duties to everyone from Lester Bowie to Taj Mahal to Allen Toussaint, mixes a heady instrumental gumbo, and allows things to percolate to a fine boil. The cast of musicians is certainly of all-star quality, but special mention should be made of trumpeter Olu Dara for some heart-rending beautiful playing, Taj Mahal for his wonderful, raspy vocal delivery, and the entire cast of percussionists, astounding in their diversity of attacks. The pieces tend toward relaxed pop forms with vocals and approachable structures but always sporting a sharply honed edge, both in their musical form and in the pointed lyrical observations that are philosophical while retaining street-level grit. |
1987 TAJ Grammavision
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From the Universal vibe of “Everybody is Somebody” to the political and environmental message of “Light of the Pacific” and the charm of “Soothin” Taj takes you on a musical adventure as you travel from track to track.
Personnel: Taj Mahal acoustic and electric guitar, bass, percussion, keyboards, lead and background vocals. Jeanette Acosta synthesizer Wayne Henderson keyboards
Ray Fitzpatrick bass and percussion Larry McDonald congas, percussion
Babatunde Olatunji Djembe, congas, Shekere percussion Ralph McDonald
Congas, tambourine, percussion Robert Greenidge steel drums, percussion
Ozzie Williams drums, DBX drum programming Kester Smith drums Chris Sission nylon stringed Spanish Guitar Tony Jones electric bass, electric guitar Fred Lunt steel guitar Jessie “Ed Davis” lead guitar Kenny Lee Lewis rhythm guitar Reggie Luccas guitar Rudy Costa alto sax Ron Brown tenor sax Fernando Pullman trumpet
Larry Gittens trumpet Garnett Brown trombone Ben-Zamin (Duane) trombone
Melody McCully background vocals Pamela Vincent background vocals
Joyce Wilson background vocals
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1988 SHAKE SUGAREE Music for Little People
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Traditional songs created long ago and sung by families for generations, Taj introduces children to different cultures and the roots of much of today’s popular music. Two songs on the cd were written by remarkable women who helped shape American folk music: Elizabeth Cotton’s granddaughter Janine, wrote Shake Sugaree, Elizabeth played and arranged the definitive version of Shake Sugaree. Etta Baker wrote Railroad Bill. Taj has chosen songs that appeal to a child’s sense of imagination, creativity, and desire to learn. |
1989 PEACE IS THE WORLD SMILING Music for Little People
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Taj Mahal,Peter Alsop, Babtundi Olatunji, Pete Seeger and more
This is a collection of works presented by concerned musicians, poets and storytellers. It includes a rainbow of heart-touching as well as humorous style, from beautiful ballads to upbeat island sounds, all tuned to the key of peace.
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1990 BRER RABBIT AND THE WONDERFUL TAR BABY Rabbit Ears
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Contributors Danny Glover Taj Mahal
Actor Danny Glover narrates this classic Southern tale of the spunky Brer Rabbit as he must figure out a way to escape the clutches of the no-mannered Tar Baby and Brer Fox. This animated tale is part of the series titled "We All Have Tales." ~ Kristie Hassen |
1990 LIVE @ RONNIE SCOTTS Silverline Records
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Producer - John Reed
Taj Mahal - vocals, guitar, electric piano
Wayne Henderson - keyboards
Kester "Smitty" Smith - percussion
Carey Williams - background vocals
Ozzy Williams - drums
Ward Allen - bass
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1990 THE HOT SPOT SOUNDTRACK
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Original motion picture soundtrack featuring: Taj Mahal, Miles Davis, John Lee Hooker, Roy Rogers, Tim Drummond, Earl Palmer and Bradford Ellis. Does it get any better than this??? “Hot Spot” is a “must have” if you dig sultry “sticky-hot” blues! |
1991 MULE BONE
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Music Composed and Performed by Taj Mahal
Lyrics by Langston Hughes
"Mule Bone" is a three-act play that was a collaberative effort between two of America's most prized literary figures, Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Huges.
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1991 LIKE NEVER BEFORE Private Music
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Appropriately titled Like Never Before opens up new trails with fresh original songs as well as some ol’ favorites like "Cakewalk into Town" & "Giant Step". Daryl Hall, John Oats, & Sheryl Crow join together for background vocals on "Don’t Call Us"; Howard Johnson, Dr. John and Hiram Bullock join in for a saucy version of "Cakewalk into Town". And on "Love Up" we have the lovely Pointer Sisters belting out the background vocals. This cd covers new ground like never before. |
1992 TAJ'S BLUES Columbia
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Re-released in 1992, this CD has everything from Sleepy John Estes’s “Leaving Trunk” to “Sounder Medley” (original score from the movie “Sounder”). Liner notes include Taj’s take on each song and what it meant to him to record it at the time. |
1992 SMILIN' ISLAND OF SONG Music For Little People
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Taj Mahal & Cedella Marley-Booker Join the Grandmother of Reggae Music on a musical journey through Jamaica, the island home of her beloved son Bob Marley. Taj lends his own unique blend of vocals and guitar to the rich Caribbean flavor that is created from this group of talented musicians. |
1992 RISING SONS, FEATURING TAJ MAHAL AND RY COODER Sony
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“Rising Sons” was originally recorded between 1965 and 1966. In June of 1992, Taj added new vocals to three instrumental tracks, “Dust My Broom,” “Last Fair Deal Gone Down,” and “Baby What You Want Me to Do” |
1993 WORLD MUSIC (out of print)
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Journey with Taj to the roots of his ancestors via the Caribbean, West Indies, and Africa. Each song weaves a story painted with Taj’s “Pan-African” rhythms, style and charm; like soothing island breezes full of warm memories. Included liner notes featuring an explanation of each song by Taj. Digitally remastered. |
1993 DANCING THE BLUES Private Music
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Songs from Fats Domino to Louis Jordan. Etta James joins in on the classic “Mockingbird” along with a “slamming” band including Texacali Horns, Tony Braunagel, Chuck Domanico, Mick Weaver, Johnny Lee Schell, & Bill Payne & Ritchie Hayward from Little Feat. This Cd will get ya shakin’ your tail feathers!
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1995 MUMTAZ MAHAL
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Hindustani musician playing a modified slide guitar, a Karnatak musician playing traditional instrument that may well be the oldest in the world to be played with a “slide,” and a man who is the repository of the musical traditions of the west African Diaspora in the New |
1996 AN EVENING OF ACOUSTIC MUSIC
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“Over the years of touring and recording, special gems and magic nights happen! These recordings capture one such night. Here are a number of acoustic selections I am sure you will enjoy coming from my 1993 tour. Surprise is that Howard Johnson shows up to play tuba and penny whistle! |
1996 PHANTOM BLUES
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Special guests include Eric Clapton “Here In the Dark” & Bonnie Raitt “I Need Your Loving.” |
1997 FOLLOW THE DRINKING GOURD
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Based on the traditional American folksong, this compelling tale recounts the daring adventures of one family's escape from slavery via the Underground Railroad.
Narration by Morgan Freeman, Music by Taj Mahal
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1997 SENOR BLUES Grammy Award Winner
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A masterful mélange of inspired cover tunes and originals that weave a musical tapestry of chiming guitars, raucous piano, Memphis/New Orleans horn charts, Caribbean grooves, jazzy soul, percussive polyrhythms, and Taj's blackstrap-molasses-over-buckwheat-cakes vocals, Señor Blues is world music in its most democratic sense. -Vibe Magazine, 6/24/97 |
1997 SHAKIN A TAIL FEATHER Music For Little People
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Taj Mahal/Eric Bibb/Linda Tillery
Songs your whole family will want to wiggle and shake those tail feathers.
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1998 SCRAPPLE SOUNDTRACK
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An outstanding soundtrack that features the considerable talent of Taj Mahal, Bob Weir and Jorma Kaukonen, to name a few, adds strongly to the beautiful, melancholy vibe of the film. |
1998 HULA BLUES (TAJ MAHAL & THE HULA BLUES BAND) Tradition and Moderne
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At it’s very core it is the existing universal language of music. Some songs are new and written with the group in mind; others are songs you’ve heard in southern blues style. - Taj Mahal |
1998 TAJ MAHAL IN PROGRESS AND IN MOTION 1965-1998 Sony
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Spanning thirty three years of Taj’s musical biography, 14 previously unreleased versions of some of his classic tunes: Fishing Blues, Sweet Home Chicago (Pointer Sisters back-ground vocals) & M’Banjo just for starters. Plus Vintage Photos and excerpts from an interview with Taj done by David Ritz and Louise “Diji” Howard. This is the definitive box set! |
1999 BLUE LIGHT BOOGIE Best Of
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Artists: Daryl Hall; John Oates; Sheryl Crow; James Brown; John Popper; Hiram Bullock |
1999 KULANJAN (AFRICAN HAWK)
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Taj Mahal and Toumani Diabate
The connections between the blues and West African music are well known, however, Kulanjan express this truth through it’s own unique rhythm, sound and spirit.
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2000 BEST OF TAJ MAHAL Sony
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1. Statesboro Blues
2. Leaving Trunk
3. Corinna
4. Mailbox Blues
5. She Caught The Katy
6. Giant Step
7. Six Days On The Road
8. Farther On Down The Road
9. Fishing Blues
10. Ain't Gwine To Whistle Dixie (Any Mo') (Live)
11. You're Going To Need Somebody On Your Bond (Live)
12. Cakewalk Into Town
13. Oh Susanna
14. Frankie And Albertt
15. Chevrolet
16. Johnny Too Bad
17. Sweet Mama Janisse (Previously Unissued Studio Recording)
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2000 SHOUTIN' IN KEY (TAJ MAHAL AND THE PHANTOM BLUES B
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“Shoutin’” netted Taj his second “Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues”
Recorded Live at The Mint in Los Angeles, CA. “Shoutin’” truly captures the electricity and magic of Taj Mahal and the Phantom Blues live.
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2003 HANAPEPE DREAM (TAJ MAHAL & THE HULA BLUES)
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All-Acoustic String Band Sound Features Taj's Signature Slack-Key Blend of the Blues and Pacific-Caribbean-Island music.
The American release of Hanapepe Dream offers bonus video footage including live performances of “The Calypsonians” and “The New Hula Blues.”
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2004 MARTIN SCORCESE PRESENTS TAJ MAHAL
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Like Lightin' Hopkins, Howlin' Wolf, or Muddy Waters, Taj Mahal is a bluesman of his own time. His three decade recording career has produced works of humor, passion, pathos, and surprise. This collection contains some of the many high points of his career. ~ Dave Ritz |
2004 LIVE CATCH
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Recorded live, December 2002, at “Yoshi’s” The World Famous Japanese Restaurant and Jazz Club. (Oakland, California)
“Live Catch" places you “front row and center” with The Taj Mahal Trio. Featuring Kester Smith on drums, Bill Rich on bass and Taj strutting his stuff on vocals, guitar, and banjo.
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2005 MKUTANO Tradition and Moderne
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The latest in musical explorations for The Taj Mahal Trio.
The Taj Mahal Trio: Taj Mahal (vocals, guitar, banjo), Bill Rich (electric bass) and Kester Smith (drums) join together in culture and sound with the first and foremost Taarab orchestra of Zanzibar - The Culture Musical Club of Zanzibar.
9 tracks of exotic musical spices and textures weaving together a tapestry of Life and Music.
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2005 ESSENTIAL TAJ MAHAL Sony
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2 disc set of Taj’s 40 yrs of recording. Includes singles Satified and Tickled Too and Happy to be Just Like I am first time on cd. |
2006 TAJ MAHAL /PHANTOM BLUES BAND LIVE @ ST. LUCIA
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A magical performance captured LIVE on DVD in the tropical paradise of St. Lucia. Accompanied by longtime collaborators The Phantom Blues Band, the depth and breadth of Taj Mahal's talent, knowledge, and skill are in full bloom. |
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