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The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum built by Emperor Shah Jahan for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is located in Agra, India and is a complex structure. Taj Mahal is also a famous roots blues musician, borrn Henry St. Claire Fredericks in Harlem circa 1942. He grew up in Massachusetts and later changed his name to Taj Mahal, a thought that came to him in a dream when he was attending Amherst College. Playing his mix of blues and world music, he finally won a Grammy in 1997 and again in 2000. He came to New York, now touring with The Taj Mahal Trio, playing guitar, piano and banjo himself, Bill Rich on bass, and Kester Smith on drum. The show was at The Blue Note, down in the West Village. The place is kind of cheesy with mirrors over the walls, it might be in need of a modern renovations. Taj came out to a large applause and opened up with “Annie Mae.” He told the audience at one point he traveled to East Africa and fell in love with the style of music that had influences pouring in from all directions. He was playing an instrumental and didn’t have a name for the piece until he arrived in and named the song after Zanzibar. Another amazing song was “Luvin’ in My Babies Eyes,” one that he recalled playing in Austria after much to his surprise, a visiting class from the University of Mississippi showed up and requested the song. An amazing show, Taj is coming back to play Lincoln center with a mixture of Jazz greats and African drum masters. Check him out!
Tags:
the blue note, the taj mahal trio
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Posted on 6/12/2006
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