Testing Taj Mahal's Music Knowledge

2026-05-20 · 22 min · 9 entities

episode page audio

Asserted relationships

→ hosted by Jack Coyne person

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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Jack Coyne
→ discusses Music concept

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Feed category: Music
→ discusses Music Commentary concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music Commentary
→ discusses Music Interviews concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music Interviews
→ discusses Music History concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music History

Entities found in this episode

concepts 7

mentioned Music Commentary concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music Commentary
mentioned Music Interviews concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music Interviews
mentioned Music History concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music History
discusses Music concept

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evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music
discusses Music Commentary concept

0.40

evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music Commentary
discusses Music Interviews concept

0.40

evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music Interviews
discusses Music History concept

0.40

evidence rules-v5
Feed category: Music History

persons 2

mentioned Jack Coyne person

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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Jack Coyne
hosted by Jack Coyne person

0.55

evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Jack Coyne

Episode description as stored

This week on the Track Star Podcast, we're joined by blues legend Taj Mahal. He spent over six decades expanding what the blues can be, weaving in Caribbean rhythms, folk, soul, and world music along the way. We got to discuss the artists and traditions that shaped both his career and the genre itself. This playlist spans from Elvis Presley to Harry Belafonte to Miriam Makeba, and Taj Mahal has a story for every single one. He traces where this music comes from and connects the dots across Delta blues, jazz, Caribbean folk, South African rhythms, and Saharan guitar. He shares how he discovered his favorite song growing up listening to his neighbor play John Lee Hooker on the porch, his deep love of bassists like Charles Mingus and Oscar Pettiford, the trip he took just to hear Ry Cooder play the 12-string guitar. We also talk about some of the standards he introduced and the most meaningful projects he worked on. This Episode’s Track List: 00:00 - Intro 00:23 - Mystery Train - Elvis Presley 00:40 - That's All Right - Elvis Presley 1:44 - Boogie Chillen - John Lee Hooker 3:15 - Better Git It in Your Soul - Charles Mingus 4:33 - Day-O (Banana Boat Song) - Harry Belafonte 5:25 - Blind Willie McTell - Statesboro Blues 10:44 - Boomer's Story - Ry Cooder 13:36 - Matilda - King Radio 15:35 - Freight Train - Elizabeth Cotten 16:50 - Mbube - Miriam Makeba 17:13 - Mbube - Solomon Linda 18:02 - The Boy in the Bubble - Paul Simon 19:21 - Tamiditine - Bombino