Testing Taj Mahal's Music Knowledge | The Track Star Podcast

This week on the Track Star Podcast, we're joined by blues legend Taj Mahal. He spent over six decades expanding what the blues can be, weaving in Caribbean rhythms, folk, soul, and world music along the way. We got to discuss the artists and traditions that shaped both his career and the genre itself.

The playlist spans from Elvis Presley to Harry Belafonte to Miriam Makeba, and Taj Mahal has a story for every single one. He traces where this music comes from and connects the dots across Delta blues, jazz, Caribbean folk, South African rhythms, and Saharan guitar.

He also shares how he discovered his favorite song growing up listening to his neighbor play John Lee Hooker on the porch, his deep love of bassists like Charles Mingus and Oscar Pettiford, the trip he took just to hear Ry Cooder play the 12-string guitar. We also got to talk about some of the standards he introduced and the most meaningful projects he worked on.

This Episode’s Track List:
00:00 - Intro
00:23 - Mystery Train - Elvis Presley
00:40 - That's All Right - Elvis Presley
1:44 - Boogie Chillen - John Lee Hooker
3:15 - Better Git It in Your Soul - Charles Mingus
4:33 - Day-O (Banana Boat Song) - Harry Belafonte
5:25 - Blind Willie McTell - Statesboro Blues
10:44 - Boomer's Story - Ry Cooder
13:36 - Matilda - King Radio
15:35 - Freight Train - Elizabeth Cotten
16:50 - Mbube - Miriam Makeba
17:13 - Mbube - Solomon Linda
18:02 - The Boy in the Bubble - Paul Simon
19:21 - Tamiditine - Bombino

New episodes of The Track Star Podcast drop every Wednesday. Let us know what artist, theme, or unexpected guest you want us to explore next.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1d5i6AQX4dZaO4MDCbdhjR
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-track-star-podcast/id1836496108
iHeart: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-track-star-podcast-294088650/
More platforms: https://play.megaphone.fm/f-rd86qotxojfhckdq6uaa

Track Star Team: Jack Coyne, Kieran Coyne, Henry Kornaros, Alex Fabry, Haley Sobel, Sarah Mann, Ellie Aslanian, Ryan Dirgins, Simone Woronoff