Time
Taj Mahal
Time is the latest album from legendary blues musician Taj Mahal, released on May 1, 2026, via Thirty Tigers/Resonatin' Records, and billed as his 60th album. The record carries a remarkable backstory: the bulk of it was recorded in 2010 with the Phantom Blues Band — Mahal's ensemble of 30 years, featuring guitarist Johnny Lee Schell, drummer Tony Braunagel, bassist Larry Fulcher, keyboardists Jon Cleary and Mick Weaver, and a horn section of Joe Sublett on tenor saxophone and Lester Lovitt on trumpet — but sat unreleased for 16 years before finally finding its way into the world. The album's centerpiece and title track is even more extraordinary: a never-before-heard composition by the late Bill Withers, originally recorded only as a demo and nearly lost to history, brought to Mahal by producer Steve Berkowitz with the blessing of Withers' estate. As described by Acoustic Sounds, the song "takes a consoling long view, promising that 'time will see you through,'" and served as the emotional anchor around which the album was ultimately shaped.
Across its 10 tracks and just under 40 minutes, Time is a characteristically wide-ranging affair that moves freely between Delta blues, R&B, soul, reggae, New Orleans grooves, and Latin rhythms — the signature blend that has defined Mahal's career since the 1960s. The Arts Fuse notes that "the anchor is Mahal's voice," describing his singing as carrying "the force of an unvarnished folk music instrument" — one that infuses honesty and resilience into every style he touches. Standout moments include the upbeat opener "Life of Love," a playful cover of the vintage R&B track "Crazy About a Jukebox," a reggae-soaked reading of "Talkin' Blues" featuring guest vocals from Ziggy Marley, a horn-drenched take on the Otis Redding song "Sweet Lorene," and the haunting blues ballad "Ask Me 'Bout Nothing (But the Blues)." Singer Ruthie Foster's liner notes capture the album's spirit best: "Taj Mahal's fearless, open-hearted spirit still shadows the whole thing with that genre-hopping joy. He leads you down the road with a history lesson, and the Phantoms carry it with honor to the Griot."
Time
Taj Mahal
Time is the latest album from legendary blues musician Taj Mahal, released on May 1, 2026, via Thirty Tigers/Resonatin' Records, and billed as his 60th album. The record carries a remarkable backstory: the bulk of it was recorded in 2010 with the Phantom Blues Band — Mahal's ensemble of 30 years, featuring guitarist Johnny Lee Schell, drummer Tony Braunagel, bassist Larry Fulcher, keyboardists Jon Cleary and Mick Weaver, and a horn section of Joe Sublett on tenor saxophone and Lester Lovitt on trumpet — but sat unreleased for 16 years before finally finding its way into the world. The album's centerpiece and title track is even more extraordinary: a never-before-heard composition by the late Bill Withers, originally recorded only as a demo and nearly lost to history, brought to Mahal by producer Steve Berkowitz with the blessing of Withers' estate. As described by Acoustic Sounds, the song "takes a consoling long view, promising that 'time will see you through,'" and served as the emotional anchor around which the album was ultimately shaped.
Across its 10 tracks and just under 40 minutes, Time is a characteristically wide-ranging affair that moves freely between Delta blues, R&B, soul, reggae, New Orleans grooves, and Latin rhythms — the signature blend that has defined Mahal's career since the 1960s. The Arts Fuse notes that "the anchor is Mahal's voice," describing his singing as carrying "the force of an unvarnished folk music instrument" — one that infuses honesty and resilience into every style he touches. Standout moments include the upbeat opener "Life of Love," a playful cover of the vintage R&B track "Crazy About a Jukebox," a reggae-soaked reading of "Talkin' Blues" featuring guest vocals from Ziggy Marley, a horn-drenched take on the Otis Redding song "Sweet Lorene," and the haunting blues ballad "Ask Me 'Bout Nothing (But the Blues)." Singer Ruthie Foster's liner notes capture the album's spirit best: "Taj Mahal's fearless, open-hearted spirit still shadows the whole thing with that genre-hopping joy. He leads you down the road with a history lesson, and the Phantoms carry it with honor to the Griot."