Review: TajMo ‘Room on the Porch’

Review: TajMo ‘Room on the Porch’

By Hal Horowitz

Taj Mahal and Keb Mo’ didn’t start the multi-generational blues collaborations displaying a young vs. older partnership. Longtime blues fans remember 1969s legendary ‘Fathers and Sons’ where Muddy Waters and pianist Otis Spann (fathers) were joined by the Butterfield Blues Band members (sons) for a rollicking romp that highlighted both participants’ considerable talents. It also re-established Muddy Waters’ credentials which had been waning at the time.

There were others before and plenty since (see last month’s alliance of Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Bobby Rush), but 2017s ‘TajMo’ was one of the most popular and commercially fruitful. It helped that these two veterans were already friends. So, the resulting eleven tracks seemed like a logical, casual and loose meeting of minds; a place where Mo’s slicker contemporary style and Mahal’s grittier slant, found common ground, or at least pushed the other into different sonic arenas. That release, initially conceived as a one-off, was a huge success.

Although it took eight years, the two-some have returned to plow similar ground for ‘Room on the Porch.’

There isn’t much distance in age between Mahal, now a great-grandfathery, still feisty 82, and Mo’ at 73, who is also past social security age. But the balance in their approaches-the glossier, affably voiced Mo’ and the gutsier bark Mahal always displayed, even in his younger days– makes for an interesting, often inspirational dynamic.

For ‘Room on the Porch’ the duo composed six fresh originals, some with others. Mahal takes sole credit on one (he plays ukulele on his wonderful “The Blues’ll Give You Back Your Soul,” which includes a wild, near unhinged sax solo), and three covers round out the set. It’s another lovely, generally low-key collection led by the title track, an invitation to join the two bluesmen on the titular area of the house with honeyed vocal assistance from Ruby Amanfu.

The guys swap verses on “Make Up Your Mind,” a jaunty, country/folk/pop melody that finds common ground in a cautionary tale with the lyrics “You make no sense, you’re going insane/Do you follow your heart or do you follow your brain.” Vibraphone and Mo’s harmonica make surprise appearances.

John Oates contributes to the easy-groovin’ shuffle “She Keeps Me Movin’” (“If I want some wine, she brings me water”) where Mahal’s gruffer growl pushes the latte-smooth vibe into darker caffeinated, black coffee territory. Famed Chicago harp man Billy Branch brings a tougher edge to the sunshiny, Latin-tinged, beach-ready love ditty “Better Than Ever,” made for blasting out of a convertible on a playlist next to a War classic.

The most impressive songs for deeper blues lovers dodge studio slickness for a more direct attack. That applies to a swampy cover of Maia Sharp’s “Junkyard Dog” featuring an edgier, guitar-oriented rumble. The concluding “Rough Time Blues” (a Jontavious Willis song), breaks everything down to just Mo’ and Mahal strumming two acoustic guitars, exchanging vocals and bringing this second collaboration to a logical, and charming, stripped-down close.

You won’t confuse it for Muddy and Butterfield going head to head on a sizzling “Long Distance Call,” but ‘Room on the Porch’ is a delightful, frequently joyful follow-up and a second chance for these iconic musicians to coalesce on music that comes naturally.

“Room On The Porch feat. Ruby Amanfu”