Throughout their long careers, Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ have promoted the traditions of the blues while pushing the boundaries of the music, making them among the genre’s most beloved, popular, and acclaimed artists. Earlier this year, they released their second collaboration album, Room on the Porch (they initially teamed up for 2017’s TajMo, which won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album the following year).
Recently, they brought joy and a beautiful sound to Wolf Trap, warming the audience’s hearts on a cool, rainy night.
Though the blues come from the South, neither Taj nor Keb’ Mo does. Born in New York City, Mahal grew up in Springfield, Massachusetts, to musical parents influenced by the Harlem Renaissance. His mother sang in a gospel choir, and his father was a jazz arranger and piano player. Though his parents came from Texas and Louisiana, Keb’ Mo’ was born and raised in Los Angeles.
Steeped in the country blues, both artists bring a worldly, urban perspective to it. Over an adventurous career dating back to the ’60s, Taj has incorporated music from Africa, the Caribbean, India, Hawaii and the Pacific. Keb’ Mo’s influences range over pop, rock, folk, and country. In the ’70s, he earned a gold record for co-writing “Git Fiddler” on Jefferson Starship’s album Red Octopus with Papa John Creach. In the early ’80s, he recorded and released an R&B album under his given name, Kevin Moore.
In addition to their recordings and live performances, Taj and Keb have acted in films and appeared in documentaries about the heritage of the blues. Keb’s breakthrough was due, in large part, to his inclusion in Martin Scorsese’s The Blues. Both also have a powerful streak of social consciousness in their life and work: Taj took his stage name from reflections on the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi. Having considered becoming a farmer, he’s regularly played at Farm Aid. Keb’s music often deals with social themes.
Watch the official lyric video for “My Darling My Dear” by Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ (aka TajMo) on YouTube:
Both artists are known for their fine playing and terrific singing. Whether he’s pushing toward rough or smooth territory, Taj’s voice has a warm, comforting quality, and Keb’s instrument is crystal clear. A multi-instrumentalist, Taj played a variety of instruments at Wolf Trap on June 8, including acoustic and resonator guitar and banjo, while Keb’ played both electric and acoustic guitar. In a highlight of the evening, the rest of the band took a break while they performed two intimate covers, “Rough Time Blues,” written by the young blues artist Jontavious Willis, and Sleepy John Estes’s “Diving Duck Blues.”
Though he sat while he played, Taj made a playful entrance, dancing his way onstage. The set emphasized the duo’s work together, along with a couple of songs from Taj’s catalog. They started with two numbers from Room on the Porch, the swinging “She Keeps Me Moving” and the love song “Better Than Ever,” followed by the lead-off track from their first album together, “Don’t Leave Me Here.”
Watch the official lyric video for “Don’t Leave Me here” by Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ on YouTube:
Taj and Keb recorded Jimmy Cox’s “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” (famously covered by Eric Clapton) for the current record. They continued with “Ain’t Nobody Talking” and “My Darling My Dear.” Just to be clear, “Junkyard Dog” has nothing to do with the late wrestler who appeared in the WWF in the ’80s. The duo’s mini-set came after “Shake Me In Your Arms Tonight.” Before “Room on the Porch,” co-written with Ruby Amanfu, Keb introduced the band. They did one more of their songs, “Thicker than Mud,” then two of Taj’s: “Going Up to the Country, Paint My Mailbox Blue” and the lovely “Queen Bee,” which vies with “Corinna” for my favorite among his songs. They finished the main set with “That’s’ Who I Am,” and for their encore, they played Keb’s “She Just Wants to Dance” and “All Around The World.”
Opening act Abraham Alexander has a fascinating life story: The son of African immigrants, he was born in Greece, where he lived until his family moved to Texas when he was 11. Shortly after that move, his mother was killed by a drunk driver, and, eventually, he was adopted by a family from his new home state, experiences he sang about in “Stay.” He released his debut album in 2023, but had a breakthrough this year when his song “Like a Bird,” from the movie Sing Sing, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song. Alexander is an impressive guitarist; I noticed some hints of Spanish influence in the opening notes of his first tune.
It may have been a cool night at Wolf Trap, but there was plenty of warmth, love, and affection in the air. Alexander represents a bold new generation for the blues, following in the footsteps of two of the greats, who were wonderful together.
Here are some photos of Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’ performing live at Wolf Trap on June 8, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Ari Strauss.
