Taj Mahal has been a regular performer in the Twin Cities in recent years partly because his son, Taj Jr., lives here. But at the bluesman's late show Tuesday night at the Dakota Jazz Club, he surprised a capacity crowd with an appearance by his singing daughter.
Deva Mahal joined Dad for "Lovin' in My Baby's Eyes," a sweet, loving blues that he said he'd written for her. Sounding a bit like Bonnie Raitt with a more full bodied voice, Deva made a wonderful night even more special.
Wearing a Panama hat and a Hawaiian shirt, Mahal, 73, was in good form and good spirits in his debut at the Dakota. He was expressive with his voice, conversation and various guitars (and banjo and piano). He made jokes about country boys from the South like Slim Pickens and jokes about fishin' in Minnesota, which he's done many times. ("Gull Lake, not Dull Lake," he said of his favorite spot to wet a line.)
Mahal's 90-minute set was heavy on the blues but with different flavors, a little Caribbean here, Hawaiian there, lots of Delta and even a little Celtic touch on the crowd-pleasing banjo blues instrumental "Roscoe's Mule Down in Roscoe's Barn."
"Freight Train" featured his sweet ringing guitar and growling voice. "Little Schoolgirl" was transformed into a blues with swing, thanks to Mahal's rhythm section of bassist Bill Rich and drummer Kester Smith. "Slow Drag," a slow low-down blues, had Rich and Mahal smiling each other at song's end. The always popular "Fishin' Blues" made you want to go fishin' with Taj – or at least have him prepare you a fish dinner.
The set list was dictated somewhat by a boisterous, overly enthusiastic woman who kept shouting out requests and Mahal kept accommodating her – even when she roared "Corinna Corinna" and he muttered something about this early in the set. And as he played the folk-blues classic in a syncopated way, the fan acted like she was having a religious experience, squealing with delight.
Mahal himself experienced similar if less demonstrative joy when Deva collaborated with him on the encore.
If Deva (who was in town visiting her brother and did not perform at Tuesday's opening performance) shows up for either the 7 or 9 p.m. gig on Wednesday, Dakota-goers will get the full Mahal.
