Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ Create Joy and Optimism with “TajMo”

TajMo, the new collaboration between Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’, opens with the arresting groove of “Don’t Leave Me Here,” driven by a horn section, guitars, and Billy Branch on harmonica. The two blues musicians trade lead vocals on the verses and the refrain: “So if you’re goin’ to Mississippi / where that Delta sky is sweet and clear / oh I’m stuck here in Chicago / please don’t leave me here.”

After establishing a strong base with the first track, the duo move into an easy, bluesy version of Willie Perryman’s classic “She Knows How to Rock Me.” The video below highlights the incredible musicianship and chemistry between these two artists. (It is far more stripped down than the album version of the song—I particularly dig the purity of the stripped down version.)

But it is in the third track, “All Around the World,” that the album really begins to show its unique heart. Written by Mo’ and Chic Street Man, the song asks “What’s all the fuss about / why can’t people just get along? / Maybe we ought to talk about all the good we got goin’ on / everybody knows there’s a better way / and we’re all hopin’ and prayin’ that one day / there’ll be love / all around the world / there will be peace and understanding / all around the world / there will be joy / all around the world / there will be happy children singing / all around the world.”

Honestly, the first time I listened to “All Around the World,” it was hard for me to reconcile the absolute joy and optimism that infuses the lyrics, the melody, and the performance, with the unrelenting drumbeat of cynicism that seems to be drowning us. But by the time I got to the closing track of the album, a cover of John Mayer’s 2006 mega-hit “Waiting on the World to Change,” a song that was criticized even in those relatively innocent days as being naïve, I had thoroughly embraced the optimism and joy and love that Mahal and Mo’ are trying to communicate through this album.

I’ll admit that I’m not well-versed in the blues or in world music, but as a fan of American roots music, I’d encountered the work of Mahal and Mo’, individually, many times before. Most recently, Mahal was featured in the American Epic documentary currently showing on PBS. Keb’ Mo’ contributed a magnificent version of “Folsom Prison Blues” to the 2002 compilation, Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash. It is one of the standout tracks on that album. I remember that when I first heard the song, I was struck not only by his unbelievable guitar work, but his alteration of a key line in the song: “They said I shot a man down in Reno / but that was just a lie.” As I recall, he was uncomfortable with the protagonist of the song being a cold-blooded murderer.

Taj Mahal, born Henry Saint Clair Fredericks, Jr., is a legendary artist who recorded his first album in 1968. The seventh track on TajMo, a cover of Sleepy John Estes’ “Diving Duck Blues,” appeared on Mahal’s debut album. This version is stark, acoustic, and highlights the chemistry between the two artists. Since his debut, Mahal has released more than two dozen studio albums, eight live albums, and contributed to recordings with a variety of other musicians. Primarily described as a country blues artist, Mahal has studied ethnomusicology and thoughtfully expanded traditional forms of African-American roots music (jazz, R&B, gospel, and blues) with elements of more international types of African roots music such as reggae, calypso, and zydeco. In 2014, Mahal received the Lifetime Achievement award from the Americana Music Association. He has been nominated for nine Grammy awards, and won two Grammy’s for Best Contemporary Blues Album.

Keb’ Mo’, born Kevin Roosevelt Moore in Los Angeles, is often described as a post-modern blues artist. Like Mahal, Mo’s work reflects a mastery of blues and a desire to expand and enrich the genre. Mo’s first album, Rainmaker, was released in 1980 but his major label debut was in 1994 with the eponymous Keb’ Mo’. In total, Mo’ has released 16 albums including TajMo. Mo’ has won three Grammy awards for Best Contemporary Blues Album.

Both artists’ interest in blending world music with American roots music is most clearly seen in the penultimate track, “Soul,” one of two songs on TajMo where Mahal and Mo’ share writing credit. Honestly, I can’t even tell you what music styles they draw from—American Songwriter magazine called it “Afro-pop”—but I can tell you that is a mood lifter. “I’ve got soul power,” they sing. I dare you to not at least tap your feet and unconsciously smile.

The two artists have known each other since Mahal saw Mo’ perform at a high-school student assembly. Mahal even helped ‘Mo get his first record deal, but TajMo reflects their first studio collaboration. Recorded in Nashville’s Stu Stu Studio over the course of two and a half years, TajMo includes 11 songs—six original compositions and five covers. Although the album feels very political, from the above-noted lyrics to “All Around the World” to the cover of “Waiting on the World to Change,” the lengthy recording process means that the songs were written/selected and the album was created long before the most recent election.

During their collaboration, Mo’ explains that he “got to know Taj really well.” “We’d talk about music and life and what we were doing on the record. He’s a stellar human being, just a brilliant man. Making this record was a really big deal for me. I learned a lot working with him.”

The admiration goes both ways. Mahal explains that he was “really impressed” by Mo’s musicianship. “He’s a hell of a guitar player,” Mahal explained, “and I’m just amazed at some of the stuff that he put out there.”

The duo is touring in support of the album, with dates across the United States and Europe booked through the end of October. Check out tour dates here: http://kebmo.com/tour. Mo’ explained to Billboard magazine that he enjoyed working with Mahal in the studio, but with respect to the tour, he’s ” looking forward to the hang.” He continued, “[j]ust making the record with him we got so much closer. He’s such a nice guy. I’m looking forward to learn and engage and just share these songs and stories with him and the audience, and hopefully people will leave happier than when they came in.” If their live performances communicate a portion of the joy and optimism that the album conveys, this is a tour not to be missed.

This article originally appeared in The Huffington Post.