Jul 9, 2024 11:35 AM
Trumpeter, Educator Jim Rotondi Dies at 61
Jim Rotondi, a renowned hard-bop trumpeter, composer and educator, died suddenly on July 7 at a hospital in France. He…
Taj Mahal (left) and Keb’ Mo’ will release a duo album, TajMo, on Concord Records on May 5.
(Photo: Jay Blakesburg)Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ will join forces for an upcoming album on Concord Records, signaling a historic collaboration between two generations of blues icons. The duo will release TajMo, an album of original songs and covers, on May 5.
In addition to the two blues giants, TajMo will also feature cameos from Bonnie Raitt, Joe Walsh, Sheila E., Lizz Wright and more. The album’s first single, “Don’t Leave Me Here,” was written by Taj and Keb’ and is available for streaming here.
While the two guitarists have collaborated for decades—Taj played a key role in inking Keb’s first record deal—TajMo marks the pair’s first full studio collaboration. The album was self-produced by the duo and was recorded by Zach Allen, John Caldwell and Casey Wasner at Nashville’s Stu Stu Studio. The 11-song set includes covers of John Mayer and The Who, as well as 6 original songs.
TajMo represents a unique blending of two of the most distinctive voices in blues. In a press statement, Taj and Keb explained that their chemistry functioned on both a musical as well as personal level.
“He’s a stellar human being, just a brilliant man,” Keb’ said of Taj. “Making this record was a really big deal for me.”
“Keb’s really good at keeping the ball up in the air,” Taj noted. “He’s a hell of a guitar player, and I’m just amazed at some of the stuff that he put out there.”
Taj Mahal is a multiple Grammy winner who has performed and recorded with legends such as the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and many over the course of his long career. Keb’ Mo’, who has often cited Taj as an influence, is a three-time Grammy winner who has collaborated with everyone from Raitt to Jackson Browne and Buddy Guy.
TajMo: The Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ Band will be touring extensively in support of the record, including stops at the Playboy Jazz Festival in Los Angeles (June 10); the Lincoln Theatre in Washington, D.C. (Aug. 9); The House of Blues in Houston (Sept. 23); and on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, which departs from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Oct. 21.
For more information, visit Concord’s website. DB
Jim Rotondi was acclaimed for his wide, round trumpet tone, remarkable virtuosity and assured swing.
Jul 9, 2024 11:35 AM
Jim Rotondi, a renowned hard-bop trumpeter, composer and educator, died suddenly on July 7 at a hospital in France. He…
Charles Lloyd, seen here at the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, makes DownBeat Poll history!
Jul 11, 2024 12:23 PM
The incomparable Charles Lloyd swept the 72nd Annual DownBeat Critics Poll, becoming the first artist ever to earn…
“Being president of Blue Note has been one of the coolest things that ever happened to me,” Was said. “It’s a gas to serve as one of the caretakers of that legacy.”
Jun 4, 2024 12:21 PM
Sitting with Don Was is a comfortable and unhurried exercise. He may seem slightly reserved at first, but ideas and…
The Century Room in downtown Tucson, Arizona, was born in 2021.
May 21, 2024 12:58 PM
Players got to play. It’s long been a part of jazz history: When there’s a venue vacuum, when there are fewer…
“She reminds me of my childhood and makes we want to cry,” Cécile McLorin Salvant, pictured here with writer Ashley Kahn, said of Dianne Reeves.
Jun 11, 2024 12:31 PM
Italy’s Umbria Jazz Winter is one of those rare annual festivals that not only coincides with a major holiday —…
