Taj Mahal - The Natch’l Blues / Pure Pleasure

Taj Mahal's second album, recorded in the spring and fall of 1968, begins, much like his first, with a stripped-down Mississippi Delta-style blues, but is a bit more powerful (thanks in part to Al Kooper on organ)

before evolving into a much fuller sound with tracks like "She Caught The Katy And Left Me A Mule To Ride" and "The Cuckoo." The latter in particular puts crunchy electric and acoustic guitars front and center,

while Gary Gilmore plays bass almost like a lead instrument - a blues musician's answer to John Entwistle.Perhaps most notable, however, are the two self-penned closing tracks, "You Don't Miss Your Water

('Til Your Well Runs Dry)" and "Ain't That A Lot Of Love," when Taj Mahal enters Otis Redding territory in the soul realm. This is especially noticeable on "You Don't Miss Your Water," which reaches a gospel-like

intensity, a Stax/Volt-style horn arrangement by Jesse Ed Davis included that sounds more genuine than real. "Ain't That A Lot Of Love," by contrast, is driven by a hard electric guitar sound and merciless bass that

sounds more like a more urgent version of the bass line in "Gimme Some Lovin'" by the Spencer Davis Group. This reissue of "The Natch'l Blues" includes a trio of bonus tracks: a faster tempo rendition of "The Cuckoo"

with prominent lead guitar, the electric, slow wailing "New Stranger Blues" with great guitar played like a mandolin, and the rocking instrumental "Things Are Gonna Work Out Fine" which is a stunning example of Davis'

electric lead guitar and Taj Mahal's virtuosity on harmonica.

Taj Mahal (hca, g); Jesse Edwin (g, p, arr); Al Kooper (org, p); Gary Gilmore (b); Chuck Blackwell, Earl Palmer (dr)

We recommend the use of "L'Art du Son" LP cleaner to wet wash your vinyl. Even new records of high quality production will benefit from this.

Title

Side 1

1. Good Morning Miss Brown

2. Corinna

3. I Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Steal My Jellyroll

4. Going Up to The Country, Paint My Mailbox Blue

5. Done Changed My Way Of Living

6. The Cuckoo

Side 2

1. She Caught The Katy And Left me A Mule To Ride

2. The Cuckoo

3. You Don't Miss Your Water

4. A Lot Of Love

5. New Stranger Blues

6. Things Are Gonna Work Out Fine