Show Notes
This week on the Track Star Podcast, we're joined by blues legend Taj Mahal. He spent over six decades expanding what the blues can be, weaving in Caribbean rhythms, folk, soul, and world music along the way. We got to discuss the artists and traditions that shaped both his career and the genre itself.
This playlist spans from Elvis Presley to Harry Belafonte to Miriam Makeba, and Taj Mahal has a story for every single one. He traces where this music comes from and connects the dots across Delta blues, jazz, Caribbean folk, South African rhythms, and Saharan guitar.
He shares how he discovered his favorite song growing up listening to his neighbor play John Lee Hooker on the porch, his deep love of bassists like Charles Mingus and Oscar Pettiford, the trip he took just to hear Ry Cooder play the 12-string guitar. We also talk about some of the standards he introduced and the most meaningful projects he worked on.
This Episode’s Track List:
00:00 - Intro
00:23 - Mystery Train - Elvis Presley
00:40 - That's All Right - Elvis Presley 1:44 - Boogie Chillen - John Lee Hooker
3:15 - Better Git It in Your Soul - Charles Mingus
4:33 - Day-O (Banana Boat Song) - Harry Belafonte
5:25 - Blind Willie McTell - Statesboro Blues
10:44 - Boomer's Story - Ry Cooder
13:36 - Matilda - King Radio
15:35 - Freight Train - Elizabeth Cotten
16:50 - Mbube - Miriam Makeba
17:13 - Mbube - Solomon Linda
18:02 - The Boy in the Bubble - Paul Simon
19:21 - Tamiditine - Bombino
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