Taj Mahal

 

Artist:  Taj Mahal 
Birth Name:  Henry Saint Clair Fredericks
Born:  May 17, 1942.  Harlem, New York, USA
Genre:  Blues, Blues Rock, Country Blues, Folk Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues, R&B, Reggae, Jazz, World Music
Occupation:  Musician, Songwriter
Instruments:  Guitar, Harmonica, Piano

Taj Mahal is an American Blues Musician, Singer and Songwriter, Multi-Instrumentalist, he plays Guitar, Piano, Banjo and Harmonica.  He played Folk, Roots, Jazz, Gospel, R&B, Caribbean, and World Music,  he also formed The Rising Suns with Guitarist Ry Cooder.

Artist:  Taj Mahal & Keb Mo

Title:  Room On The Porch (2025)

Genre:  Blues, Blues Rock, Country Blues, Folk Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues, R&B, Reggae, Jazz, World Music

Label:  Concord Records

Rating:   *****

Format:  LP

Tracks:

Side A:

 1.  Room On The Porch (feat. Ruby Amanfu) (4:05)

 2.  My Darling My Dear (3:58)

 3.  Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out (3:42)

 4.  She Keeps Me Movin' (4:01)

 5.  Make Up Your Mind (4:40)

 

Side B:

 6.  Thicker Than Mud (4:20)

 7.  Junky And Dog (4:20)

 8.  Blues'll Give You Back Your Soul (4:47)

 9.  Better Than Ever (feat. Wendy Moten) (5:03)

10. Rough Time Blues (4:31)

Personnel:

Taj Mahal:  Vocals on Tracks:  1, 3-10, Background Vocals on Track 2, Acoustic Guitar on Track 5, Percussion on Track 5, Ukulele on Tracks:  8, 9, Resonator Guitar on Track 10

Keb Mo:  Vocals on Tracks:  1-10, Acoustic Guitar on Tracks:  1, 2, 5-9, Electric Guitar on Tracks:  3, 4, 7-9, Resonator Guitar on Tracks:  1, 7, 10, Slide Guitar on Track 2, Banjo on Track 2, Octave Mandolin on Track 2, Percussion on Track 2, Steel Drum on Track 5, Harmonica on Tracks: 5, 9, Mandolin on Track 9

Additional Musicians:

Anton Nesbit:  Bass on Tracks: 2, 6, 7

Brian Allen:  Upright Bass on Tracks: 1, 3, 8, Bass on Tracks: 4, 5

David Rodgers:  Hammond Organ on Tracks: 1,  4, 5, 7-9, Synthesizer on Tracks:  1, 5, 7, 9

Jimmy Nichols:  Hammond Organ on Tracks:  2, 3, 6, Wurlitzer on Track 3

K. Roosevelt:  Drums on Tracks:  1, 4-9, Vibraphobe on Track 5, Bass on Track 9

Keio Stroud:  Drums on Track 3

Jenee Fleenor:  Violin on Track 1

Billy Branch:  Harmonica on Track 9

Jeff Coffin:  Saxophone on Track 8

John Oates:  Background Vocals on Track 4

Robbie Brooks Moore:  Background Vocals on Track 1

Lauren Lucas:  Background Vocals on Tracks: 2, 9

Gene Miller:  Background Vocals on Tracks: 3-6

Michael B. Hicks:  Background Vocals on Tracks: 3-6

Ron Poindexter:  Background Vocals on Tracks: 3-6

Special Guests:  

Ruby Amanfu:  Vocals on Track 1

Wendy Moten:  Background Vocals on Track 9

Room On The Porch is the second album together by Taj Mahal & Keb Mo, released on May 23, 2025 by Concord Records.  Excellent Album.  For Fans of Taj Mahal & Keb Mo.

Billy Ocean

 

Artist:  Billy Ocean

Birth Name:  Leslie Sebastian Charles

Born:  January 21, 1950.  Fyzabad, Trinidad and Tobago, British West Indies

Origin:  Romford, East London, England

Genre:  R&B, Pop, Soul, Reggae, Adult Contemporary, Adult Contemporary R&B, Dance-Pop, Disco

Occupation:  Singer, Songwriter

Instruments:  Vocals

Billy Ocean is a Trindadian-born British Singer and Songwriter. Between 1976 and 1988, he had a series of Hit Songs in the UK and Internationally.  He achieved breakthrough success with the 1976 single "Love Really Hurts Without You", and peaked at No. 2 in the UK and No. 3 in Australia. Later that year, he achieved two additional Top 20 Singles in the UK, in 1977, his single "Red Light Spells Danger", also peaked at No. 2, and he released the single "Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run)" in 1984.  In the UK, the song peaked at No 6.   In the U.S., It entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 85 but peaked at No. 1 10 weeks later.  He won Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Performance for the song.  It also charged in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and across Europe under three different titles.  He released in 1985, "When The Going Gets tough, The Tough Get Going" peaked at No. 1 in the UK, and No. 2 in the U.S., the following year.  He achieved an American No. 1 with the Single "There'll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)".  in 1988, his single "Get Outta My Dream, Get Into My Car" reached No. 1 in the U.S. and No. 3 in the UK.

Title:  Suddenly (2024)

Genre:  R&B, Pop, Soul, Reggae, Adult Contemporary, Adult Contemporary R&B, Dance-Pop, Disco

Label:  Sony Music

Rating:  *****

Format:  LP

Tracks:

Side One:  

 1.  Caribbean Queen (No More Love On The Run) (7:52)

 2.  Mystery Lady (5:02)

 3.  Syncopation (5:20)

 4.  The Long And Winding Road (4:40)

Side Two:

 1.  Loveboy (5:16)

 2.  Lucky Man (4:21)

 3.  Dancefloor (4:14)

 4.  If I Should Lose You (3:59)

 5.  Suddenly (3:5 3)

Personnel:

Billy Ocean:  Lead & Backing Vocals, Simmons Drums, LinnDrum

Barry J. Eastmond:  Keyboards Synthesizers

Keith Diamond:  Synth Bass, Simmons Drums, LinnDrum, Backing Vocals

Clarence "Binky" Brice:  Guitars

Vic Linton:  Guitars

Eddie Martinez:  Guitars

Geoff Whitehorn:  Guitars

Timmy Allen:  Bass

Terry Silverlight:  Drums on Tracks:  1/4, 2/5

Tony Maroni:  Percussion

Andy Newton:  Percussion

V. Jeffrey Smith:  Saxophone

Chrissie Faith:  Backing Vocals

Lisa Fischer:  Backing Vocals

Katie Kissoon:  Backing Vocals

Curtis King:  Backing Vocals

Stevie Lange:  Backing Vocals

Cindy Mizelle:  Backing Vocals

Meekaeel Muhammad:  Backing Vocals

Suddenly is the fifth studio album by Billy Ocean, originally released on September 12, 1984 by Jive, remastered and reissued on September 13, 2024 by Sony Music.  40th Anniversary Edition onOcean Colour Vinyl.

Taj Mahal

 

Artist:  Taj Mahal  
Birth Name:  Henry Saint Clair Fredericks
Born:  May 17, 1942.  Harlem, New York, USA
Genre:  Blues, Blues Rock, Country Blues, Folk Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues, R&B, Reggae, Jazz, World Music
Occupation:  Musician, Songwriter
Instruments:  Guitar, Harmonica, Piano

Taj Mahal is an American Blues Musician, Singer and Songwriter, Multi-Instrumentalist, he plays Guitar, Piano, Banjo and Harmonica.  He played Folk, Roots, Jazz, Gospel, R&B, Caribbean, and World Music,  he also formed The Rising Suns with Guitarist Ry Cooder.

Title:  Giant Step/De Ole Folks At Home (2024)

Genre:  Blues, Blues Rock, Country Blues, Folk Blues, Modern Acoustic Blues, Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues, R&B, Reggae, Jazz, World Music

Label:  Floating World Records

Rating:   *****

Format:  CD

Tracks:

Giant Step:

 1.  Ain't Gwine Whistle Dixie Anhmo' (1:04)

 2.  Take A Giant Step (4:20)

 3.  Give Your Woman What She Wants (2:34)

 4.  Good Morning Little School Girl (3:49)

 5.  You're Gonna Need Somebody On Your Bond (4:56)

 6.  Six Days On The Road (3:05)

 7.  Farther On Down The Road (You Will Accompany Me) (4:43)

 8.  Keep Your Hands Off Her (2:18)

 9.  Bacon Fat (6:40)

De Ole Folks At Home:

10. Linin' Track (1:42)

11. Country Blues #1 (2:36)

12. Wild Ox Moan (2:46)

13. Light Rain Blues (3:25)

14. A Little Soilful Tune (2:40)

15. Candy Man (2:57)

16. Cluck Old Hen (2:33)

17. Colored Aristocracy (2:04)

18. Blind Boy Rag (4:10)

19. Stagger Lee (3:20)

20. Cajun Tune (1:56)

21. Fishin' Blues (3:06)

22. Annie's Lover (3:30)

Personnel:

Giant Step:

Taj Mahal:  Vocals, Harmonica, Banjo, Mississippi National Steel-Bodied Guitar

Jesse Ed Davis:  Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, Organ

Gary Gilmore:  Electric Bass

Chuck "Brother" Blackwell:  Drums

De Ole Folks At Home:

Taj Mahal:  Vocals, Harmonica, Guitar, Banjo

Giant Step/De Ole Folks At Home is the third studio album by Taj Mahal, originally released on October 24, 1969 by Columbia Records, remastered and reissued on July 26, 2024 by Floating World Records.

Ben Harper

 

Artist:   Ben Harper
Birth Name:  Benjamin Chase Harper
Born:  Pomona, California, USA.
Genre:  Folk Rock, Blues Rock, Alternative Rock, Rock, Funk Rock, Soul, Reggae, Modern Electric Blues
Occupations:  Musician, Humanitarian
Instruments:  Vocals, Guitar, Slide Guitar, Keyboards, Piano, Bass, Drums, Percussion, Vibes

Ben Harper is an American Singer, Songwriter.  He plays an electric mix of Folk, Blues, Soul, Rock and Reggae.  He is a three-time Grammy Award Winner as well, winning awards for Best Pop Instrumental Performance and Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album, in 2005, and also won a Grammy for Best Blues Album in 2014.

Artist:  Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite

Title:  Get Up! (10th Anniversary Edition) (2023)

Genre:  Folk Rock, Blues Rock, Alternative Rock, Rock, Funk Rock, Gospel, Soul, Reggae, Modern Electric Blues

Label:  Craft Recordings

Rating:   *****

Format:  LP

Tracks:

Side 1:

 1.  Don't Look Twice (3:12)

 2.  I'm In, I'm Out, I'm Gone (4:36)

 3.  We Can't End This Way (3:34)

 4.  I Don't Believe A Word You Say (3:16)

 5.  You Found Another Lover (I Lost Another Friend) (4:12)

Side 2:

 1.  I Ride At Down (4:41)

 2.  Blood Side Out (2:51)

 3.  Get Up! (6:16)

 4.  She Got Kick (2:56)

 5.  All That Matters Now (4:53)

Personnel:

Ben Harper:  Vocals, Guitar, Slide Guitar

Charlie Musselwhite:  Harmonica, Backing Vocals

Jason Mozersky:  Guitar

Jesse Ingalis:  Bass

Jordan Richardson:  Drums

Get Up! is an album by Ben Harper with Charlie Musselwhite, originally released on January 29 2013 by Stax Records, remastered and reissued on November 3, 2023 by Craft Recordings.  10th Anniversary Edition Limited 120 Gram Vinyl pressing including download code.

 

Boney M.

 

Artist:  Boney M.
Origin:  Bonn, West Germany
Genre:  Pop, Dance, Disco, Eurodisco, Euro-Dance, Club-Dance, Electronic, R&B, Reggae

Original line-up:

Liz Mitchell:  Lead & Backing Vocals
Marcia Barrett:  Lead & Backing Vocals
Maizie Williams:  Dancer, Live Vocals
Bobby Farrell:  Dancer, Rap, Live Records

Boney M. is a Vocal Group created by German Record Producer Frank Farian.  Originally based in Germany, formed in 1976 by original members Liz Mitchell (Jamaican-born Singer), Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams (from Montserrat) and Bobby Farrell (from Aruba).  Boney M. achieved popularity during the Disco Era of the late 1970s, although they never had much success in America.  They had many big hits:  Daddy Cool" (UK Top Ten in 1977), "Sunny" (in 1977), "Ma Baker" (in 1978), "Belfast", "Rivers Of Babylon" (the biggest selling single in UK Chart history, and US Top 40 Hit in 1978), "Brown Girl In The Ring",  "Rasputin" (UK Top Ten Hit), "Mary's Boy Child" and "Oh My Lord", which became also the biggest selling single in UK, "Painter Man" (Hit the UK Top Ten in 1979), "Hooray! Hooray!, It's A Holi-Holiday" and many more!

Title:   The Magic Of Boney M. (2022)

Genre:  Pop, Dance, Disco, Eurodisco, Euro-Dance, Club-Dance, Electronic, R&B, Reggae

Label:  Sony Music

Rating:  *****

Format:   LP

Tracks:

LP 1: 

Side A:

 1.  Daddy Cool (3:28)

 2.  Sunny (3:57)

 3.  Rivers Of Babylon (4:16)

 4.  El Lute (3:59)

 5.  No Woman No Cry (4:18)

Side B:

 1.  Hooray! Hooray! It 's A Holi-Holiday-7" Version (3:55)

 2.  Rasputin (4:26)

 3.  Painter Man (3:17)

 4.  Belfast (3:27)

 5.  Brown Girl In The Ring (4:01)

LP 2:

Side C:

 1.  Kalimba De Luna (4:13)

 2.  Happy Song - 7" Version (3:58)

 3.  Still I;m Sad (4:25)

 4.  Mary's Boy Child/Oh My Lord (4:02)

 5.  Baby Do You Wanna Bump (2:27)

 6.  Felicided (Margjrite) (2:51)

Side D:

 1.  Gotta Go Home (2:33)

 2.  Ma Baker (4:06)

 3.  Sunny - Mousse T. Radio Mix (3:20)

 4.  Rasputin (3:06)

 5.  Daddy Cool (2:35)

Bonus Track:

 6.  Riose de Babylonia (4:07)

The Magic Of Boney M. is the complilation album by Boney M., released on March 18, 2022 by Sony Music, including new remixes "Rasputin", "Daddy Cool", and unreleased track "Rios de Babylonia".