Taj Mahal is just amazing. I finally saw him for the first time in the early 90s opening for Tom Petty. No backing band, just Taj and a Rhodes piano doing an amazing Ray Charles-ish kind of thing, then switching to the guitar. I'd ingested enough...um...ergot derivative...ahem...to stun an ox and I've been a huge fan ever since.
It's hard to go wrong with Giant Step/De Ole Folks At Home, but they are old recordings and really don't sound that great. If you like live albums, Shoutin' In Key sounds terrific on my Axioms. Hanapepe Dream is a little odd for Taj, but it sounds wonderful.
