Live Shoutin' In Key

In a career spanning almost 40 years, Taj Mahal has never held back from

challenge. Seeking constantly to

extend his musical canvas, he has worked with artists as diverse as Ry Cooder in the Rising Sons and more recently with Rora player Toumani Diabate on the acclaimed Kulanjan collaboration.

This album, recorded live in LA over three nights, is as fine a testament to the man's live prowess as one could hope for.

What I love about Taj - I've been a fan for a long time - is his total commitment to whatever he does. Here, every pulse, every note, every breath is made to count; on 'Every Wind In The River' the warm gruffness of his voice is as comfortable as old socks - the roll on the final 'r' in river is a little piece of poetry all of its own. The blues is formed where repetition is a by word, but there is a freshness here that is sadly absent in much of the genre's output, with 'Rain From The Skies' being a particularly inventive reading of the tradition, with more than a nod to Jamaica.

Shoutin' In Key is an album that connects on every level - head, heart and feet, and sustains the interest from start to finish. No skipping tracks here - you'll want to savour every second of this lovely, lovely record.