 |
Composer and multi-instrumentalist Taj Mahal, a two-time GRAMMY winner and one of the most influential American blues and roots artists of the past half-century, will embark on a nationwide tour in the final months of 2008 in support of Maestro, his September 30 release on Heads Up International. Maestro, Taj's first U.S. recording in five years, marks the 40th anniversary of his rich and diverse recording career by mixing original material with chestnuts from vintage sources and newcomers alike. Guests on this anniversary gala include Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Angelique Kidjo, Los Lobos, Ziggy Marley and others - many of whom have been directly influenced by Taj's music and guidance.
Much more than just a tribute to past glories, Maestro captures the same level of intensity and depth that has characterized every one of Taj's recordings since his self-titled debut album in 1968. Simply put, four decades have done nothing to dilute his energy quotient. “The one thing I've always demanded of the records I've made is that they be danceable," he says. “This record is danceable, it's listenable, it has lots of different rhythms, it's accessible, it's all right in front of you. It's a lot of fun, and it represents where I am at this particular moment in my life."
Taj's live show is a reflection of that same rhythm, accessibility and fun that characterize the new recording.
Tour Dates
09.25 Napa, CA Napa Valley Opera House
09.26 Redding, CA Cascade Theater
09.27 Arcata, CA Van Duzer Theatre
09.28 Bend. OR Tower Theatre
10.02 Glenside, PA Keswick Theatre
10.03 Tarrytown, NY Tarrytown Music Hall
10.04 TBA
10.05 Washington D.C. Duke Ellington Jazz Festival
10.09 Oberlin, OH Finney Chapel at Oberlin College
10.10 Chicago, IL Morse Theatre
10.11 Chicago, IL Morse Theatre
10.12 Minneapolis, MN Fitzgerald Theater
10.15 Missoula, MT University Theater
10.16 Idaho Falls, ID Idaho Falls Performing Arts Center
10.17 Boise, ID Egyptian Theatre
10.18 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot
10.19 TBA
10.21 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre or Fox
10.22 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up Tavern
10.23 TBA
10.25 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore (Featuring Phantom Blues Band and Special Guests)
11.01 Troy, NY Troy Savings Bank Music Hall
11.03 Brownfield, ME Stone Mountain Arts Center
11.04 Brownfield, ME Stone Mountain Arts Center
11.05 New London, CT Garde Arts Center
11.06 Wilmington, DE The Grand Opera House
11.07 Great Barrington, MA The Mahaiwe Theatre
11.08 Fall River, MA Narrows Center for the Arts
11.21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30 Seattle, WA Jazz Alley
