Taj Mahal

Giant Step (Columbia, 1969) fu il suo album "rock". Accompagnato da una formazione elettrica, Mahal scorrazzava nel ruggente jump-blues Give Your Mother What She Wants e nell'aggressivo boogie Six Days On The Road. L'album gemello De Ole Folks At Home rimane il suo capolavoro. Dotato di una voce scura, viscerale, bruciata dall'alcool e dal sole, capricciosa esplorazione del patrimonio folkloristico delle popolazioni di colore, dal soul al reggae, dai Caraibi alla Louisiana, Mahal reinventava la tradizione del Delta conferendole l'esuberanza del ragtime e la sposava a un eclettico excursus per le strade della provincia Americana al principio del secolo. Tutto solo con il suo banjo, la sua armonica, la sua voce, Mahal pennella tredici entusiasmanti foto d'epoca, dalla scarnissima e toccante malinconia di A Little Soulful Tune, un brano-conversazione in cui si batte il ritmo con le mani e simula l'orchestra a labbra chiuse, al colorito assolo di banjo di Colored Aristocracy, dal rag stranito di Blind Boy Rag all'assolo di armonica Cajun Tune.

Era soltanto l'inizio. Di album in album Mahal avrebbe rovistato in sgabuzzini sempre diversi per riportare alla luce i fantasmi piu` bistrattati della musica popolare. Sul live Real Thing (Columbia, 1971) impiego` un'orchestrina di nove elementi, con tanto di tube e tromboni, per concedersi un divertissment d'autore nel campo del jazz degli anni ruggenti. L'album annovera altre vignette surreali in cui trasfigura la musica dei primi decenni del secolo: l'ironico Fishing Blues, per sola voce e chitarra, l'incalzante jump da ballo di Sweet Mama Jamisse con le tube sguinzagliate, e Tom Sally And Drake, pittoresco duetto fra banjo e tuba (Howard Johnson) che incrocia bluegrass e marcia. L'album si chiude con lo sproloquio di You Ain't No Street Walker Mama (quasi venti minuti). La versione per flauto, clarinetto, congas e orchestra di Ain't Gwine To Whistle, rimase a lungo la sigla dei suoi concerti.

Il suo genio si sfoga, in particolare nel periodo piu` ascetico di Happy Just Like I Am (Columbia, 1971), con West Indian Revelation, Recycling The Blues (Columbia, 1972) e Ooh So Good'n'Blues (Columbia, 1973), soprattutto negli assoli, i piu` geniali e coinvolgenti del blues moderno; alcuni lenti e riflessivi, altri incalzanti e tribali: quello voodoo alla chitarra acustica di Black Spirit Boogie (1971), quello gitano alla chitarra di Gitano Blues (1972), quello per solo canto e clapping di Free Song (1972), un vero e proprio esorcismo collettivo, quello country al banjo di Ricochet (1972), quello alla chitarra di Buck Dancer's Choice (1973). Si ricordano poi le gag eterodosse di Cakewalk Into Town (1972), con la tuba di Johnson, clapping e fischio, e Teacup's Jazzy Blues Tune (1973).

With Mo' Roots (Columbia, 1974) Mahal assimilated cajun (Cajun Waltz) and Caribbean rhythms (Johnny Too Bad, Slave Driver, Clara St. Kitts Woman).

Music Keeps Me Together (Columbia, 1975) introduced the Intergalactic Soul Messengers Band and one of his classics, When I Feel the Sea Beneath My Soul.

Satisfied 'n' Tickled Too (Warner, 1976) was a more traditional album, but another Caribbean classic, Curry, appeared on Music Fuh Yuh (Warner, 1977). Mahal also worked on the soundtrack for Brothers (Warner, 1977), containing Love Theme In The Key Of D. Evolution (Warner, 1978) continued the string of experimental world-fusion albums, adding The Most Recent Evolution of Muthafusticus Modernusticus and Queen Bee to the repertory. To achieve his goal Mahal formed the world-music ensemble International Rhythm Band (Magnet, 1980).

After a long hiatus, during which he relocated to Hawaii, Mahal released Taj (Gramavision, 1987), an album that updated his sound to the age of synthesizers and drum machines (with even a hit of disco-music). Suddenly, very busy with all sorts of projects, Mahal also worked on four albums of music for children, Shake Sugaree (Music For Little People, 1987), Big Blues (1988), Brer' Rabbit (Windham Hill, 1990) and children Smilin' Island Of Song (1992), and the soundtrack to a theatrical play, Mulebone (Gramavision, 1991). Taj's Blues (1992) compiles some outtakes and live performances.

Mahal's commercial resurgence began with the pop-oriented material on Like Never Before (Private, 1991), particularly the spectacular jump-boogie Big Legged Mommas Are Back In Style. Mahal, backed by Pointer Sisters, turntablists, electronic keyboardists, Hall & Oates, Dr John, David Lindley, romps through funk and reggae and the usual blues.

Dancin' The Blues (Private, 1993), with the backing of a rock band features some of his best compositions in years (Blues Ain't Nothing, Strut).

World Music (Legacy, 1993) is an anthology of Mahal's world-music favorites.

Phantom Blues (Private, 1996) is a collection of rock, soul and blues oldies, but the Phantom Blues Band became the main expressive vehicle for Taj Mahal's odd world-music project. It will be captured live on Shoutin' In Key (2000).

An Evening Of Acoustic Music (Tradition And Moderne, 1994) captures a live solo performance.

Back to his roots, Senor Blues (Private, 1997) explores blues, jazz and soul with a solid no-frills backind band. Blue Light Boogie (1999) is a collection of old material.

The "Hawaian" period peaked with Sacred Island (Private, 1997). Mahal, backed by the Hula Blues Band (mostly veterans from the International Rhythm Band and the Intergalactic Soul Messengers Band), returns to the naive/goofy attidude of his early albums in a set of delightful compositions for mandolin, kalimba, ukulele and slide like Sacred Island, The Calypsonians and New Hula Blues. Hanapepe Dream (Tradition & Moderne, 2001) was the follow-up, but lacked both the charm and the material.

Following the example set by his friend Ry Cooder, Mumtaz Mahal (Water Lily, 1995) is a collaboration with Indian musicians and Kulanjan (Hannibal, 1999) is a collaboration with African musicians.

The 3 CD-set In Progress & In Motion (1965-1998) is a wonderful career-spanning anthology.

Hanapepe Dream (2003) sounded like a survey of world-music. Maestro (2008), his first studio album in five years, was rather disappointing.

Se sei interessato a tradurre questo testo, contattami