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Taj Mahal: Like Never Before

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Privat Music Records
Released: 1991.10.01
Time:
 47:12
Category: Blues
Producer(s): Nicolo & Skip Drinkwater
Rating: *******... (7/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.tajblues.com
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2001.05.10
Price in €: 9,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Don't Call Us (Feldman/Mahal) - 4:20
[2] River of Love (Carroll/Feldman/Scott) - 4:08
[3] Scattered (Jordan/Nielson/Pearson) - 5:42
[4] Every Wind (In the River) (Dollaghan/Feldman/Jordan/Mahal) - 4:53
[5] Blues With a Feeling (Jacobs/Little Walter) - 3:54
[6] Squat That Rabbit (Mahal/Nicolo) - 4:41
[7] Take All the Time You Need (Williams) - 4:22
[8] Love Up (Martyn) - 3:09
[9] Cakewalk into Town (Mahal) - 3:01
[10] Big Legged Mamas Are Back in Style (Mahal) - 4:21
[11] Take a Giant Step (Goffin/King) - 4:40

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


AJ MAHAL - Banjo, Guitar, Harmonica, Piano, Vocals

SONNY RHODES - Lap Steel Guitar
DR. JOHN - Piano
DAVID LINDLEY - Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar
HIRAM BULLOCK - Guitar
HOWARD JOHNSON - Tuba, Arranger, Cornet, Baritone Saxophone, Horn Arrangements
BILL SUMMERS - Percussion, Conga, Drums, Tambourine, Triangle, Comb, Bata, Iya, Guiro, Hand Percussion, Batá Drums, Cabasa, Clay Drums, Bata Drums, Keta
BRIAN JACKSON - Design
PAUL BARRÉRE - Guitar
JERRY WILLIAMS - Guitar, Background Vocals
MYRICK GUILLORY - Rub
ARTHUR BARON - Trombone
ERIC BAZILIAN - Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Lap Steel Guitar
ERIE BRAZILIAN - Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Lap Steel Guitar
JERRY COHEN - Organ
RUDY COSTA - Soprano & Curved Soprano Saxophone
DJ JAZZY JEFF & THE FRESH PRINCE - Turntables
JAY DAVIDSON - Arranger, Baritone & Tenor Saxophone, Horn Arrangements
MARK GOODMAN - Organ, Synthesizer, Electric Piano
DOUG GRIGSBY - Bass
HAYWOOD HENRY - Clarinet, Alto Saxophone
ROB HYMAN - Organ, Accordion, Background Vocals
TONY JONES - Bass
MARK T. JORDAN - Organ, Synthesizer, Piano
RON KERBER - Alto Saxophone
ANDY KRAVITZ - Percussion, Castanets, Drums, Tambourine
JEFFREY LEGO - Trombone
GARY MCKEEN - Trumpet
PHIL NICOLO - Cymbals, Engineer, Mixing
DONALD ROBINSON - Keyboards
JIM SALAMONE - Synthesizer, Programming
MIKE TYLER - Guitar
DAVID JOHNSON - Percussion, Go Go Bell
CLAIRE DALY - Tenor Saxophone
MARK JORDAN - Organ, Synthesizer, Piano

THE POINTER SISTERS - Background Vocals, Ensemble
DARYL HALL - Background Vocals
JUNE POINTER - Background Vocals
PORTER CARROLL - Background Vocals, Producer, Associate Producer
SHERYL CROW - Background Vocals
ANITA POINTER - Background Vocals
AUGIE JOHNSON - Background Vocals
JOHN OATES - Background Vocals
LOUIS PATTON - Background Vocals
RUTH POINTER - Background Vocals
WILLIE GREEN, JR. - Background Vocals
FLAWLESS - Background Vocals, Ensemble

SCOTT BLOCKLAND - Assistant Engineer
KURT BUJACK - Assistant Engineer
DOUG DEANGELIS - Assistant Engineer
SKIP DRINKWATER - Producer, Mixing
RICHARD FELDMAN - Programming, Associate Producer, Synthesizer Programming
GREG FULGINITI - Mastering
SCOTT HALL - Digital Editing
BRANDON HARRIS - Assistant Engineer
RAY LEGNINI - Digital Editing
JOE NICOLO - Programming, Producer, Engineer, Mixing
MICHAEL SCHLESINGER - Engineer
BRUCE WEEDEN - Engineer
CHRISTOPHER THOMAS - Assistant Engineer
CHRIS FURMAN - Assistant Engineer
MARK SCHULZ - Assistant Engineer
LARRY VIGON - Art Direction, Design
JAMIE COHEN - Executive Producer
STEVE MCLOUGHLIN - Assistant Engineer
ANDY VANDETTE - Digital Editing
CHRIS CALLIS - Photography
LOU CATANAZARO - Assistant Engineer
BROOKE DRINKWATER - Production Coordination
ANDY BAUER - Guitar Technician
DJ JAZZY JEFF - Mixing

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


1991 CD Private Music 2081-2-P
1991 CD Atlantic 20812P
1991 CD Private Music 2081
1991 CS Private Music 2081-4-P
1991 CS Private Music 2081



After a string of children's albums and other side projects, Taj Mahal returns to his roots with Like Never Before — an eclectic assortment of styles featuring traditional covers and a new batch of originals.

All-Music Guide



Using musical guest stars did wonders for Roy Orbison's Mystery Girl album, and John Lee Hooker's, The Healer. More recent recordings, such as Santana's Supernatural, and Jimmy Smith's, Dot Com Blues, have also sold more copies due to the guests that appear on the albums. The artists on these albums appeared as a kind of living tribute to the main artist, while simultaneously attempting increasing their own viability. This formula did work for these albums. All were commercial successes and helped to revitalize an aging artist's career.

Like Never Before, released in 1991, is Taj Mahal's "star treatment" album. The roster is filled with star power: Daryl Hall & John Oates, Sheryl Crow, The Pointer Sisters, guitarist David Lindley, Dr. John, DJ Jazzy Jeff, and members of the Hooters and Little Feat. Like Never Before may be the most commercial of all of Taj Mahal recordings.

All the tracks on Like Never Before are winners. One of the standout tracks is the haunting and moody rendition of the old Goffin/King penned tune, "Take a Giant Step," which closes the album. Taj also reinvents his own 1972 composition, "Cakewalk Into Town." Crowd pleasers "Don't Call Us," a duet with Daryl Hall, and "Every Wind" and "Scattered" are extremely radio friendly and should have been hits.

Two instant classics grace the album. The first is the goofy, funky "Squat That Rabbit." DJ Jazzy Jeff, minus Fresh Prince, creates a hip-hop thrill ride about cheating. This is a very imaginative and creative track that doesn't bore after repeated play.

The other classic from this album, which should be on every jukebox across the country, is "Big Legged Mommas Are Back In Style Again." Taj plays the coolest piano boogie on this one. As the title suggests, this song has no sexual innuendo, all libido. This song is ripe for a popular country artist to cover, with radio hit written all over it.

This is a relaxed and playful album. It reconfirmed Taj Mahal's musical talent and his ability to write great pop songs. It also showcases his original vocal style, with many different settings that he switched effortlessly between.

Taj Mahal is a living blues legend that has danced around commercial success for decades. Like Never Before sold well for Taj Mahal, but was not a multi-platinum success. However, it connected Taj Mahal to a larger fan base, which is equally satisfying.

Tom Gouker - February 27, 2001
supervisor for CDNOW's Customer Service Department



Dr. John on piano and a killer four-man horn arrangement by tuba meister Howard Johnson, is a funky gem that considerably improves on my memory of the original. "Take a Giant Step," an exceptional Carole King -Gerry Goffin composition that has always been the inspiration for one of Taj's best introspective vocal readings, gets a lovely ride with Taj's solo electric guitar over a bed of light percussion.
Despite the rock focus, quieter tunes abound, such as Little Walter 's "Blues With a Feeling" as a piano (Taj) and acoustic slide ( Sonny Rhodes ) duet and a four-piece ramble through "Big Legged Women are Back in Style." The biggest surprise is the full-blown rock arrangement of John Martyn 's "Love Up" with Feat-man Paul Barrière and David Lindley on guitars as well as the Pointer Sisters ' strong vocal work. The sole clunker on this set is Jerry Williams' "Take All the Time You Need," a very boring Yuppie blues tune. On balance this is a fine return to form by Taj Mahal that should convince old and new listeners of the man's talents.

Joe F. Compton - October 1, 1991
Dirty Linen



Der alte Mann und der Blues? Von wegen: Breite Pop-Elemente schleichen sich ein, obwohl US-Genre-Meister Taj Mahal hochkarätige Sidemen wie Dr. John am Piano, Marc Jordan an der Orgel oder Hiram Bullock an der Klampfe engagierte. Die Power kommt durch, leider etwas spät: Scattered und Every Wind sind hochkarätige Pretiosen, wie man sie von Mahal eigentlich durchgängig erwartet. Höhepunkt ist aber Blues With A Feeling. Da zeigt der Mann, wie gut diese Platte eigentlich hätte werden können.

© Audio



Zumindest in Europa stand Taj Mahal nie in jenem Rampenlicht, das ihm aufgrund seiner stilistischen Vielseitigkeit zugestanden hätte. Jetzt, nach 22 Platten und einem Vierteljahrhundert auf US-Bühnen, darf Taj Mahal endlich einmal auf einer aufwendig produzierten CD mit jenem Talent glänzen, das seinen kommerziellen Erfolg in all den Jahren verhinderte: seiner Experimentierfreudigkeit. An einen Titel wie "Squat That Rabbit" würden sich andere Blues-Veteranen wohl nie heranwagen, denn es gehört schon Mut dazu, den Blues-Freaks mit ihren teilweise eingefahrenen Hörgewohnheiten einen Texas-Boogie mit discotauglicher Vinyl-Scratching- Garnitur anzubieten. Weitere Überraschungen: Bei seinem "Catwalk Into Town" läßt Taj ein paar Saxophone, Akkordeon, eine Tuba und Kastagnetten mitmarschieren. Von Track zu Track wechselt der Amerikaner den Stil, verliert dabei aber nicht sein Gespür für das Unterhaltungsbedürfnis des Zuhörers, sondern schmeichelt sich mit afrikanisch anmutenden Perkussionsklängen, Chicago-Rhythm-and-Blues-Gitarren, New-Orleans-Piano und Memphis-Hammondorgel ein. Bei all diesen Verbeugungen vor den wich- tigsten Eckdaten der Blues-Geschichter hat man nie den Eindruck, als wolle Taj Mahal in alle Marktnischen hineinschnuppern. Dafür klingt jeder einzelne der elf Songs viel zu tief empfunden und durchdacht.

© Stereoplay
 

 L y r i c s


CAKEWALK INTO TOWN

I had the blues, so bad one time it put my face in a permanent frown
You know I'm feeling so much better, I could cakewalk1 into town

Honey, I woke up this mornin' feelin' so good, you know I laid back down again
Throw your big leg over me mama, I might not feel this good again

My baby, my baby, I do love the way she walks
And when my woman gets sleepy, I love the way she baby-talks

My work is getting scarce, oh baby, my work it done got hard,
I spend my whole day stealin' chickens Honey from the rich folks yard

I would love to take a picnic in the country and stay all day
I wouldn't do nothing but while my blues away

I had the blues so bad one time it put my face in a permanent frown
You know I'm feelin' so much better I could cakewalk into town


TAKE A GIANT STEP

Though you failed at love and lost
And sorrow's turned your heart to frost
I will mend your heart again
Remember the feeling as a child
When you woke up and morning smiled
Its time its time its time you felt like that again

There is just no percentage in remembering the past
Its time you learned to live again and love at last
Come with me leave your yesterday your yesterday behind
And take a giant step outside your mind

You stare at me with disbelief
You say for you there's no relief
But girl I swear it won't do you no harm
Don't sit there in your lonely room
Just looking back inside that gloom
Mama that's not were you belong

Come with me I'll take you where the taste of life is green
N' Everyday everyday hold on woman just got to be seen
Come with me leave your yesterday your yesterday behind
And take a giant step outside your mind

Though you failed at love and lost
And sorrow's turned your heart to frost
I will mend your heart again
Remember the feeling as a child
When you woke up and morning smiled
Its time its time its time you felt like that again

There is just no percentage in remembering the past
Its time you learned to live again and love at last
Come with me leave your yesterday your yesterday behind
And take a giant step outside your mind
 

 M P 3   S a m p l e s


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