Giant Step / De Ole Folks At Home

Taj Mahal is one of the most prominent figures in late 20th century blues. He is a self-taught singer-songwriter and film composer who plays the guitar, piano, banjo, and harmonica, among many other instruments. He often incorporates elements of world music into his work and has done much to reshape the definition and scope of blues music over the course of his almost 50-year career by fusing it with non-traditional forms, including sounds from the Caribbean, Africa, and the South Pacific. This album brought to you at mid-price was Taj's third studio album. Released in 1969 as a double, "Giant Step" is electric, while "De Ole Folks at Home" is acoustic. It was not a massive commercial success, but certainly consolidated his reputation among fans of rootsy music, and also helped raise his profile still further amongst the musician community. Over half a century later, it has a freshness, charm and sprightliness that has worn particularly well. Esquire magazine included the album at number 27 on it's list of "The 75 Albums Every Man Should Own".