The Real Thing is a double live album by Taj Mahal, released in 1971. It was recorded on February 13, 1971, at the Fillmore East in New York City and features Taj Mahal backed by a band that includes four tuba players.
| The Real Thing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Live album by | ||||
| Released | 1971 (CD in 2000) | |||
| Recorded | February 13, 1971 | |||
| Venue | Fillmore East, New York City | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Length | 66:51 | |||
| Label | Columbia/Legacy | |||
| Producer | David Rubinson (original recording), Bob Irwin (CD reissue) | |||
| Taj Mahal chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| Christgau's Record Guide | B[2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[3] |
| The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings | [5] |
| Rolling Stone | (not rated)[4] |
Track listing
editAll tracks by Taj Mahal except where noted.
- "Fishin' Blues" (Henry Thomas) – 2:58
- "Ain't Gwine to Whistle Dixie (Any Mo')" (Chuck Blackwell, Jesse Ed Davis, Gary Gilmore, Taj Mahal) – 9:11
- "Sweet Mama Janisse" – 3:32
- "Going Up to the Country and Paint My Mailbox Blue" – 3:24
- "Big Kneed Gal" – 5:34
- "You're Going to Need Somebody on Your Bond" (Blind Willie Johnson) – 6:13
- "Tom and Sally Drake" – 3:39
- "Diving Duck Blues" (Sleepy John Estes) – 3:46
- "John, Ain' It Hard" – 5:30
- "She Caught the Katy (And Left Me a Mule to Ride)" (Taj Mahal, Yank Rachell) – 4:08
- Omitted from the vinyl issue, added to 2000 CD issue. Studio recording appears on The Natch'l Blues (1968).
- "You Ain't No Street Walker Mama, Honey but I Do Love the Way You Strut Your Stuff" – 18:56
Personnel
edit- Taj Mahal – vocals, blues harp, chromatic harmonica, National steel-bodied guitar, five-string guitar (banjo), fife
- Howard Johnson – tuba (BB♭, F), flugelhorn, baritone saxophone, brass arrangements
- Bob Stewart – tuba (CC), flugelhorn, trumpet
- Joseph Daley – tuba (BB♭), valve trombone
- Earle McIntyre – tuba (E♭), bass trombone
- Bill Rich – Electric bass
- John Simon – piano, electric piano
- John Hall – Electric guitar
- Greg Thomas – drums
- Kwasi "Rocky" DziDzournu – congas
Technical
- Tim Geelan, Glen Kolotkin, Frank Abbey, Jerry Smith – engineer
- Anna Hornisher – cover, artwork, design
- Irene Harris – cover photography
References
edit- ^ Planer, Lindsay. The Real Thing at AllMusic. Retrieved April 5, 2012.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: M". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 2, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
- ^ "Music Review: 'Taj Mahal'". EW.com. September 8, 2000. Archived from the original on April 1, 2007. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
- ^ Gerson, Ben (September 16, 1971). "Taj Mahal The Real Thing Review". RollingStone. Archived from the original on April 29, 2009. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
- ^ Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. p. 623. ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.