Taj Mahal (album)

Taj Mahal is the debut album by American guitarist and vocalist Taj Mahal. Recorded in 1967, it contains blues songs by Sleepy John Estes, Robert Johnson, and Sonny Boy Williamson II reworked in contemporary blues- and folk-rock styles.^[1] Also included is Taj Mahal's adaptation of Blind Willie McTell's "Statesboro Blues", which inspired the popular Allman Brothers Band recording.

Taj Mahal
Studio album by Taj Mahal
Released	February 1968 (1968-02)
Recorded	August 1967
Genre	Blues rock
Length	32:55
Label	Columbia
Producer	Bob Irwin, David Rubinson
Taj Mahal chronology
Taj Mahal (1968) The Natch'l Blues (1968)

Taj Mahal, who provides the vocals and blues harmonica, is backed by guitarists Jesse Ed Davis and Ry Cooder. Columbia Records released the album in February 1968^[2] to favorable reviews,^[3] however, it did not reach the album charts.

Album cover

The Victorian house featured on the cover, known as the Salt Box, was once located on Bunker Hill Avenue in Los Angeles' Bunker Hill neighborhood. Designated a city landmark in 1962,^[4] it was one of only two homes that were saved and relocated, only for both be destroyed by an arson-caused fire in 1969 while awaiting restoration at the future site of the Heritage Square Museum.^[5] Bunker Hill Avenue no longer exists and the entire 2-block area around the home's original location is now the site of the Wells Fargo Center.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Entertainment Weekly	A[6]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings	[7]

Music critic Bruce Eder gave the album five out of five stars. In his review for AllMusic, Eder described it as "as hard and exciting a mix of old and new blues sounds as surfaced on record … in what had to be one of the most quietly, defiantly iconoclastic records of 1968."^[1]

In a music review of Taj Mahal reissues for Entertainment Weekly, Tony Scherman gave the album an "A" and wrote that the album "explodes with high spirits; of Taj’s 30-plus albums, it might be the best."^[6]

Track listing

Side 1

1. "Leaving Trunk" (Sleepy John Estes) – 4:51
2. "Statesboro Blues" (Blind Willie McTell, arr. Taj Mahal) – 2:59
3. "Checkin' Up on My Baby" (Sonny Boy Williamson II) – 4:55
4. "Everybody's Got to Change Sometime" (Estes) – 2:57

Side 2

1. "EZ Rider" (arr. Taj Mahal) – 3:04
2. "Dust My Broom" (Robert Johnson) – 2:39
3. "Diving Duck Blues" (Estes) – 2:42
4. "The Celebrated Walkin' Blues" (arr. Taj Mahal) – 8:52

Personnel

The personnel listings in the album liner notes are not complete for each track. Taj Mahal provides all of the vocals and harmonica, but the rest of the musicians do not contribute to all tracks.

Musicians

• Taj Mahal – vocals, harmonica, slide guitar
• Jesse Ed Davis – lead guitar, slide guitar
• Ry Cooder – rhythm guitar, mandolin
• Bill Boatman – rhythm guitar
• James Thomas – bass
• Gary Gilmore – bass
• Sanford Konikoff – drums
• Chuck "Brother" Blackwell – drums

Production

• Raphael Valentin, Roy Halee – engineer
• Ron Coro – design
• Guy Webster – photography

References

1. Eder, Bruce. Taj Mahal – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved April 5, 2012.
2. "New Album Releases". Billboard. Vol. 80, no. 5. February 3, 1968. p. 42. ISSN 0006-2510.
3. "Album Reviews: 4 Star". Billboard. Vol. 80, no. 6. February 10, 1968. p. 50. ISSN 0006-2510.
4. "Designated Historic-Cultural Monuments". Office of Historic Resources. City of Los Angeles. Archived from the original on June 9, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
5. Herbert, Ray (October 10, 1969). "Fire Razes 2 Mansions Being Restored by City: Arsonists Blamed for Destruction of Cultural Relics". Los Angeles Times.
6. Scherman, Tony (September 8, 2000). "Music Review: Taj Mahal", Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 5, 2012.
7. Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. p. 623. ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.