New Studio Album Feat. Bonnie Raitt, Joe Walsh, Sheila E, Lizz Wright and more
TAJMO is an important collaboration between two generations of blues titans — Taj Mahal & Keb Mo — who connect their remarkable gifts for the first time on an album of original songs and sensational covers.
With cameos from Bonnie Raitt, Joe Walsh, Sheila E., Lizz Wright, and many more, the album will be released on June 16th.
While the two have been known and inspired each other for decades, and Taj played a key role in Keb’s first recording contract, TajMo marks their first specific collaboration.
The new album was self-produced by the duo and recorded by Zach Allen, John Caldwell and Casey Wasner at Nashville’s Stu Stu Studio. The 11-song set includes covers of John Mayer and The Who plus six original songs.
TajMo brings out the best of both artists, blending their characteristic voices, combining personalities and twinng their extraordinary guitar styles — to produce some lively, red-hot music that is firmly rooted in the blues tradition but subject to the undeniably frolicsome nature of the pair’s sense of escapade.
“Don’t Leave Me Here” is a love letter to the South is destined to be an instant classic, while “Soul” threads world music with blues in a way that only Mahal could competently pull off.
Their emotional twist on Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to Change,” [Raitt lends her unmistakable vocals] is a stand-out moment.
“He’s a stellar human being, just a brilliant man,” Keb’ says of Taj. He first saw him play at a high school assembly. “Making this record was a really big deal for me.”
“Keb’s really good at keeping the ball up in the air,” Taj replies… “He’s a hell of a guitar player, and I’m just amazed at some of the stuff that he put out there.”
Taj Mahal has been recording and performing his unmistakable mix of blues and world music for more than 50 years, winning several Grammy Awards and cooperating with legends such as the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and many more.
Keb ‘Mo’, who has often cited a Taj as one of his musical heroes, is a three-time Grammy Award winner and has collaborated with everyone from Raitt to Jackson Browne and Buddy Guy.
The first single from this essential album “Don’t Leave Me Here” is shared below.
Taj Mahal and Keb Mo will launch “TajMo” at Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London on Friday July 7th 2017
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