Interesting piece of music history. Most African Americans were not into blues and especially into old time music or in this case their own roots music. I remember this piece from the movie Sounder which I've seen several times. Between Taj and Lightin' Hopkins the sound track is great. It has warmed my heart to watch younger musicians warm to this music and move beyond the old into the new of what can be. Thanks for the post. There is a whole film on this TV series that we watched during the pandemic. Being kind of up there in years I can't remember the of it right now.
Taj Majal is awesome. Ethnomusicologist/historian as well as player. Love him with his Bart Reiter Whyte Laydie.
youtube.com/watch?v=zH6dBumSSR4
I've seen Taj twice. Both times when he brought out the banjo the crowd went wild.
He's reaching some interesting expressive places in that piece.
I enjoyed jamming with Taj Mahal way back when he and I were doing music therapy as part of an innovative program for young people. A very talented, open and accepting musician who just loves to play.
