Taj Mahal — “Time” — Thirty Tigers
Taj Mahal’s timeless music has a new home in his latest album release, “Time.”
Its timelessness is emphasized by the fact that this sparkling session was recorded in 2010, when it reignited that spark of great music generated by Mahal’s work with the Phantom Blues Band, their first pairing since 2008’s “Maestro.”
The five-time Grammy winner has an uncanny ability to incorporate blues into the other worldly rhythms of brightly colored reggae, Caribbean and Latin influences, while still keeping the faith with blues, R&B and soul music.
That zesty musical blend is on full display in “Time,” a collection of songs that flow effortlessly from one genre to the next, all held together by the Phantoms — featuring Johnny Lee Schell, Tony Braunagel, and Larry Fulcher, alongside Jon Cleary, Mick Weaver, and a crackling horn section led by Joe Sublett and Les Lovitt — and by Mahal’s majestic growl of a voice.
The title track here is a previously unreleased song written by the late Bill Withers. “Time” was discovered as an early Withers demo and even turned into the futuristic album cover art. It’s a gorgeous song, with a gentle acoustic intro, treated to a reverential Mahal vocal with soulful background vocals. The refrain, “Time will see you through,” sends a hopeful message.
Elsewhere, the album opens with “Life of Love,” a rhythmic celebration of a “soulful stew” of musical influences and love itself. “Wild About My Lovin’” adds an island beat to the fun. “Crazy About A Jukebox” is tasty R&B fun, listing songs and artists dipping back into the 1950s for a romp through great old music. “You Put the Whammy On Me,” gets a little funky, while “Talkin’ Blues” is a duet with Bob Marley’s son, David “Ziggy” Marley.
The Otis Redding track, “Sweet Lorene,” gets Mahal’s soul pipes shouting before turning to the haunting blues ballad “Ask Me ’Bout Nothing (But the Blues),” written for Bobby ‘Blue” Bland, who recorded the song in 1969. “It’s Your Voodoo Working” offers a horn-fueled take on the traditional mojoj/voodoo/conjurer blues theme.
The lively closer is “Rowdy Blues,” a rollicking old-time blend of blues and jazz with Leary’s barrel-house piano driving behind Mahal’s gritty vocal. The song itself is one of two surviving records by the little-known Delta bluesman Kid Bailey. It’s a fitting finale with its emphasis on the classic blues that’s been one of Mahal’s main driving wheels since his first guitar lessons from Lynwood Perry, the nephew of bluesman Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup.
Ruthie Foster’s liner notes for “Time” are worth a note here as well: “Taj Mahal’s fearless, open-hearted spirit still shadows the whole thing with that genre-hopping joy. He leads you down the road with a history lesson, and the Phantoms carry it with honor to the Griot.”
In the end, the music of “Time” may be16 years old, but that joyful essence is very much alive right now. It’s a must for anyone’s Taj Mahal collection.
It’s worth mentioning (especially since I missed it the first time around) that Mahal’s previous album, the outstanding 2024 “Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa” won the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album. It’s a terrific concert of classic blues styles.
Here’s “Time” from the album:
Tracklist:
Life of Love — 3:36
Wild About My Lovin’ — 5:43
Crazy About a Jukebox — 4:00
Time — 3:41
You Put the Whammy on Me — 3:18
Talkin’ Blues — 4:36
Sweet Lorene — 2:59
Ask Me ’Bout Nothing (But the Blues) — 4:08 p
It’s Your Voodoo Working — 3:15
Rowdy Blues — 4:20
Musicians:
Taj Mahal — lead vocals, acoustic guitar, ukelele, harmonica
Johnny Lee Schell — electric guitar, backing vocals
Tony Braunagel — drums, percussion
Larry Fulcher — bass, backing vocals
Jon Cleary — keyboards
Mick Weaver — keyboards
Joe Sublett — tenor saxophone
Les Lovitt — trumpet
Ziggy Marley — guest vocals on “Talkin’ Blues”