Customer Reviews

Taj Mahal: Autobiography of a Bluesman

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This book is portraying this bluesman in his own words, but also by the words of many others. It is unfair to label this as a "bad" book just by the fact that it is not an autobiography. And people complain about reading about his life. . . a book about a musician would not be a book if it didn't focus on his life. You can hear the music, but you need to read his life. This is a well written book with many celebrity interviews about this influential artist. I've bought this book for several people with no regrets. . .they don't regret reading it either. They do nothing but rave about it, and that's all that I can do.

I truly loved this book about a legendary bluesman. He seemed to be up-front and honest about his personal life and trials as well as experiences in the cutthroat world of music as business. Interviews-with/comments-from "stars" in the music industry like Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt and Mick Jagger showed just what an indelible mark Taj has made on their lives. Stories from Taj's family were poignant.

Stephen Foehr is a master of networking. I can tell you, because I copy edited much of this book, that bringing it to publication was a Herculean chore. Taj Mahal's internationl concert schedule and complex family relations made him an elusive, sometimes reluctant, contributor to the project. Foehr was forced to tell the story as much by contacting Taj's myriad kin, fellow musicians, friends, and others as by getting Taj to tell it in his own words. The result is a rich, multifaceted combination of autobiography and biography that provides a classic example of the genre as well as a fascinating portrait of its subject, the world of the blues, Taj's family and friends, and a history of the blues in the last 40 or 50 years. Taj's supporting cast, his friends and antagonists, comprise a gallery of equally gifted and admiraqble characters. Foehr's relentless and creative networking with them and tracking them down made this book possible. Taj's complex, talented, intriguing life has been given its definitive treatment.

I thought this book was so interesting and it wasn't filled with too many minute music details that you put it down and return to more details about a certain track that you get bored. If you want an interesting book about a real well traveled man in music and you like Taj Mahal then what's not to like? I was crazy about the book and I'm not an overly crazed Taj fan despite seeing him many times. Simple - very good 'page turner' book that says a lot about the man and a lot about his experiences in life to make his music unique.

There are two major problems with this book. First, for someone as passionate about music as Taj, there is very little about Taj's music in the book. Other than the author's experiences at a few shows, there is little discussion of Taj's classic albums. It isn't until page 236 of the 280 page text that we get any substantive discussion of Taj's music. Instead we get overwhelmed with stories of Taj's 15 kids by about half a dozen women. Whether he's at fault or not, it gets really boring reading about Taj's kids and lovers talking about how Taj wasn't there for them.

The second problem with the book is the subject himself. Despite appearing to be a willing interviewee, Taj reveals himself to be one of those people who is simply incapable of answering the question, "How did this make you feel?" When pressed for his feelings on events in his life, Taj invariably steers his answers into discussions on fishing or food or music.

The author obviously made a solid effort to compile an oral history of Taj's life, but would have been better served by focusing less on people's thoughts on Taj himself and more on people's opinions on Taj's music.

The best way for me to describe this book is this. I will simply quote the announcer who introduces Taj on his live album "The Real Thing"..."If you didn't come here with a friend, you have one on the stage right now, Mr. Taj Mahal!".

I am a huge fan of this great artist. But I have a problem with the book. It's not an autobiography. The real author must've cut some sort of deal with taj, because the real writer patiently gathered info from all corners of the earth. The only thing Taj seems to have done is a few lenghty interviews. It was disappointing to read of someone who has been so musically inspiring and yet so flawed as a regular guy. He's fathered over a dozen children by several women, yet the book desperately tries to portray him as a man of integrity and high moral fibre.

Taj has followed in the old bluesman tradition of loving and leaving. His legacy is littered with testimonials of people who desperately want to recognize his goodness, and yet the wounds his lifestyle has left them with are huge.

The New Age, hippie rationales that his 'family' blabs on and on with is almost laughable, unfortunately tragic.

Unless you are a real fan of this musical genius, don't bother with the book. Check out his albums instead.