Taj Mahal
The Natch'l Blues

Among the most forgotten and underrated characters in American blues, Henry Saint Clair Fredericks was born in 1942 in Harlem to a jazz pianist father and a gospel singing teacher mother. He also entered the world of music, soon becoming a multi-instrumentalist (skillfully mastering the harmonica, banjo, guitar, and piano) and moved to Los Angeles, where the blues scene was particularly appreciated, quickly finding gigs in local venues.

In '65 he formed the Rising Sons with the then-unknown Ry Cooder, producing recordings that would see the light only twenty years later, and played with legendary figures of the genre such as Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, among others. Thus, he poured the experience accumulated into his first albums, signing with the pseudonym Taj Mahal (in honor of the famous Indian mausoleum): after his good self-titled debut characterized by a murky electric blues, in '69 he released "The Natch'l Blues", which features a simple and effective structure, with often short yet impactful songs, in which a blues tinged sometimes with country and sometimes with soul prevails. The album's protagonists are Taj's harmonica and Jesse Ed Davis's guitar style, along with Gary Gilmore's pulsating bass and Chuck Blackwell's often measured drums, playing original compositions alongside reinterpretations of some classics of the past, all embellished by the presence of a guest of the caliber of Al Kooper on piano on some tracks.

Among Taj's reinterpretations, "The Chuckoo" takes on an almost reggae tone in the verse, only to return powerfully bluesy in the chorus, while in the pack's soulliest track, "You Don't Miss Your Water (‘Til Your Well Runs Dry)", one seems to hear the best Otis Redding at the microphone. As mentioned, there are plenty of originals, among which "She Caught The Katy (And Left Me A Mule To Ride)" stands out, which, even reprised in the famous film "The Blues Brothers", becomes a true classic of the genre. Musically, the song features the bluesman's harmonica throughout its duration, with a nice bass in the background marking the rhythm, while its meaning can be summarized by the title: the protagonist declares his love for his woman, who took his Katy, forcing him to use a mule.

The opening "Good Morning Miss Brown" is another small masterpiece of country blues which, mixed with soul, can be felt throughout the album and particularly in the following "Corrina", not coincidentally written in collaboration with Davis: nevertheless, there are also moments of classic blues, as in the triplet "I Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Steal My Jellyroll", "Going Up To The Country, Paint My Mailbox Blue", and "Done Change My Way Of Living", placed in the center of the release and characterized by good guitar solos.

Finally, the album concludes with the gritty "Ain't That A Lot Of Love" (which Taj would soon present in the "Rock And Roll Circus" of the Stones), where a particularly romantic lyric contrasts with an ever-frenetic and electrifying blues. And speaking of lyrics that narrate this work, they are linked to the solid blues tradition, which wants them centered on love, with a particular mention for the closing "Ain't that a lot of love" written by the Baker/Parker/Dean trio that at its emotional peak reads "I can't think of a word that describes your love better than the sky above".

In conclusion, "The Natch'l Blues" is an excellent (soft) blues album that offers 37 minutes of pure relaxation, ideal for starting a day or giving a smile, simply the artist's highest point alongside the subsequent "Giant Step/De Ole Folks At Home" which in the future will show particular interest in African music, funk, and world music. But here is all the magic of old-school blues...

To be rediscovered.