Taj Mahal

The Profile

American blues musician and multi-instrumentalist born in 1942 in Harlem. After forming the Rising Sons with Ry Cooder, he launched a solo career in the late 1960s, blending traditional blues with soul, reggae, funk, and global influences. Widely acclaimed for seminal albums like Taj Mahal and The Natch'l Blues, and later Grammy-winning work including Señor Blues.

Birth name Henry Saint Clair Fredericks Jr.; born May 17, 1942, in Harlem, New York City; Grammy-winning American blues artist active since the 1960s.

Reviews spotlight Taj Mahal’s late-60s electric blues breakthrough, his multi-instrumental chops, and a career-long habit of folding soul, reggae, gospel, and funk into the blues. The Natch'l Blues and the self-titled debut get classic status nods, while Señor Blues marks a Grammy-decorated late-career high. Maestro celebrates four decades with wide-ranging collaborations.