Taj Mahal

Arriving with his 1968 self-titled debut followed by 1969's Giant Step/De Ole Folks at Home, Taj Mahal revealed himself as one the world's most prominent blues stylists and storytellers. Albums such as 1971's The Real Thing, 1974's Mo' Roots, and 1976's Music Fuh Ya' (Musica Para Tu), approached everything from calypso and reggae, trad jazz, gospel, R&B, and zydeco to various Pacific Islander and West African cultures. But Mahal never strayed far from country-blues. 1996's Phantom Blues and 1997's Senor Blues returned him to the charts. 2008's Maestro wed deep blues, funk, and...