Blues legend Taj Mahal has put out a finely crafted album mixing blues and pop like he's never done before. The album starts up with a screaming harmonica on "Blues Ain't Nothing," one of two tunes that Taj penned.

Bill Payne and Richie Hayword (from Little Feat) help out on Howlin' Wolf's "Sitting on Top of The World." Good ol' rock n' roll can be heard on Fats Domino's "l'm Ready." Etta James (who was recently in Ann Arbor at the Blues & Jazz Festival) belts out a hot duet on "Mockingbird." The Hoochi Coochi Coo" will get those two left feet up on the dance floor.

Drenched with blues, "Going to the River" will make a grown person cry in their beer. Listen for "Mockingbird" and "Blue Light Boogie" on WDET. This is a fun record to listen to, and hey, that's what music is all about. 

--By Tom Rule

I’ve had Taj Mahal on my mind since his birthday on the 17th and with that in mind, Im featuring this week Taj’s 1993 classic “Dancing The Blues”

Plus new releases by Rick Estrin & the Nightcats, Kid & Lisa Anderson, Billy Price. Toronzo Cannon and Curtis Salgado.