The Best Of Taj Mahal [Original recording remastered]

Taj Mahal | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 5, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Columbia/ Legacy
• ASIN: B00004XSUS
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,453 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #1 in Music > Blues > Acoustic Blues
  • #8 in Music > Blues > Modern Blues
  • #14 in Music > Blues > Electric Blues

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What A Find!, February 17, 2004

By 

s.e.a. (Foxborough, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best Of Taj Mahal (Audio CD)

I had heard the name, Taj Mahal over the years but never took the time to investigate his music. Then one day while listening to the radio, the song "Fishing Blues" came on and it sparked my interest. When I saw that he had this "Best Of..." collection I figured it would be a good place to start. Well,I haven't stopped playing it since I recieved it. What a find, this is great music! Every track on this cd touched me in some way. Songs like "Statesboro Blues", "Leaving Trunk", and "She Caught The Katy" are gritty, bluesy, and soulful. Taj sings with a voice that was made for the blues, and plays a mean harmonica to boot.

Aside from the songs on this collection that really cook, there are others that seem to transcend the blues and create a different feeling. "Corinna", "Take A Giant Step" and "Johnny Too Bad" are more thoughtful and laid back, making for a good mix of tempos'. Then, just when I thought it couldn't get much better, I listened to the jazzed up, instrumental "Ain't Gwine To Whistle Dixie (No Mo')". Awesome! Then there's "Oh Susanna", a song that you might think you've heard before as a child, but not like this! I could go on, but just know that all in all this is a collection of incredible, inspired music from a great artist,and track for track, it's one of the best albums I have ever purchased.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good But Not The Best!, April 12, 2002

By 

deepbluereview "deepbluereview" (SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best Of Taj Mahal (Audio CD)

Taj has become the torchbearer of the blues and, over the years, has developed a very large following and a comprehensive catalog of releases. In order to put this recording into prospective it's necessary to look at what is here. What you find on this disc is a collection of some very fine material dating from 1967 to 1974. So, while the material may be the best of Taj for that period, and that is debatable, it would be unfair to Taj and to his fans to call this a collection of his best works. Anything short of a box set could not possibly cover the broad array of excellent releases put out by this individual. That being said, the reproduction of "Leaving Trunk" and "Corinna" are not of the best quality. However, the rest of the CD is a good representative sample of Taj's early releases. While I would encourage individuals to buy this disc, I feel a certain obligation to the man that has produced so many quality songs over the past 30 plus years to also suggest the box set "In Progress & In Motion".

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Summary, October 29, 2002

By 

jbembe (Ann Arbor, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best Of Taj Mahal (Audio CD)

I absolutely agree that one should own the box set, but this disc is worth owning alone for "Chevrolet." That song really gets me going, and I play it for my wife all the time to let her know how I feel. This disc will only fuel your longing for more taj mahal, so get it and save up for the box set!! If you get the chance check out the grammy-winning "Shouting in Key." That is the best disc of all.