Taj Mahal - Best of the Private Years (CD)

All Music Guide

A rockin' good time is guaranteed for all who listen to some of these blistering blues numbers from the legendary singer's best work of the last decade, but the real reward is the depth that goes beyond just the hearty partying. "Blues Ain't Nothin'" is classic bar band rock-blues all the way, with Mahal texturing his raspy voice over his flurrying harmonica and the guitar fire of Johnny Lee Schell and John Porter. "Here in the Dark" captures the more melancholy aspects of Mahal's blues leanings, with his vocals itching for relief over a simmering horn section and the crisp, distorted lines of Eric Clapton. This sort of typical bluesmaking is balanced beautifully by folksy, New Orleans-styled gems like Hank Williams' "Mind Your Own Business" and the aggressive blues meets bebop energy of the Horace Silver tune "Senor Blues." Then its back to the jamming on "Ooh Poo Pah Doo." Mahal has a rich history, and this collection is living proof that a good bluesman gets better with age. - Jonat...han Widran, All Music Guide Read more Less