Live & Direct (Taj Mahal album)

Live & Direct
Live album by
Taj Mahal
Released1979
Recorded10 May 1979, Crystal Clear Studios
GenreBlues
LabelCrystal Clear Records
ProducerTaj Mahal, Ed Wodenjak
Taj Mahal chronology
Evolution (The Most Recent)
(1977) 		Live & Direct
(1979) 		Going Home
(1980)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings[3]

Live & Direct is an album by American blues artist Taj Mahal and the International Rhythm Band.[1]

Critical reception

Rolling Stone wrote that "the African-inspired songs here are slight, the Brazilian excursion sounds tired, and the funk and R&B numbers are simply not credible."[4]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Taj Mahal; except where indicated

  1. "Jorge Ben" (Jorge Ben, Taj Mahal)
  2. "Reggae Number 1"
  3. "You're Gonna Need Somebody" (Buffy Sainte-Marie)
  4. "Little Brown Dog" (Traditional)
  5. "Take a Giant Step" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King)
  6. "L-O-V-E, Love"
  7. "And Who" (Robert Greenidge, Rudy Costa, Taj Mahal)
  8. "Suva Serenade"
  9. "Airplay"[1]

Personnel

  • Taj Mahal - lead vocals, electric piano
The International Rhythm Band
  • Bill Rich - bass
  • Kester Smith - drums
  • Jumma Santos - percussion, congas, timbales
  • Robert Greenidge - steel drums
  • Rudy Costa - alto and soprano saxophone, flute, pan pipe, kalimba
  • Bianca Oden, Carey Williams, Ella Jamerson, Geri Johnson, Ola Marie Tyler, Verlin Sandles - backing vocals[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c Tim Sheridan (1974-10-15). "Live & Direct - Taj Mahal | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-07-28.
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 26.
  3. ^ Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. p. 623. ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.
  4. ^ "Taj Mahal: Live & Direct : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". 17 June 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-06-17. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  5. ^ "Live & Direct - Taj Mahal | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved May 15, 2021.