RISING SONS FEATURING TAJ MAHAL AND RY COODER

Rising Sons Featuring Taj Mahal And Ry Cooder

The title almost says it all.  Rising Sons also included future member of The Byrds and The Rolling Thunder Revue Kevin Kelley, as well as veteran session drummer Ed Cassidy of Spirit—he was in his mid 40's here and he sounds like he loves playing with a bunch of kids!

But let's face it, if you're looking at this page, you came because you're wondering if a collaboration between two guitar legends, Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder, is worth listening to.  I have good news for you.  Rising Sons Featuring Taj Mahal And Ry Cooder is not simply worth listening to.  Rather, if those two names mean anything to you, it's essential listening.

The guitar interplay is fantastic and is what you would expect from two virtuosos.  But, this recording, which combines 22 tracks recorded between 1965 and 1966, is more than a guitar showcase.  There are a lot of worthy cuts on here, which are treated with both plenty of integrity and originality.  

Recommended tracks include: "If The River Was Whiskey," "Let The Good Times Roll," "11th Street Overcrossing," "Tulsa Country," "The Girl With Green Eyes" and "Take A Giant Step"—the latter two would have fit perfectly onto Workingman's Dead by Grateful Dead.

According to Richie Unterburger of the All Music Guide, "this archival release has value above and beyond historical interest." 

True. 

Rising Sons Featuring Taj Mahal And Ry Cooder 

SINGLES GOING STEADY: "TAURUS" BY SPIRIT

Spirit

Spirit is one of those bands you should know.  It was fronted Randy California, who as a young teenaged prodigy  had a band called The Blue Flames that would tear it up at the historic Cafe Wha? in the Greenwich Village.  The Blue Flames also featured a dude you might have heard of named Jimi Hendrix.  California, whose real last name was Wolfe, was supposed to join the Jimi Hendrix Experience, but since he was only 15, I guess he was too young to go to England.   In hindsight, I'm sure he regretted that move.  When Spirit broke up some of the remaining members found continued success with a band called Jo Jo Gunne and later with a Country Rock band called Firefall, which put out both a gold and platinum album.

Anyway, let's talk about "Taurus."  It's vocal-less, but it contains a riff which pretty much all guitarists learn a variation of at some point.  The more famous riff is by Led Zeppelin.  As you will hear, a good 90% of it came from the band Spirit first.  

Will you be able to tell which Led Zeppelin song I'm talking about? 

"Taurus" by Spirit

This is a great album 

QUIQUE BY SEEFEEL (AKA IF YOU LIKE MY BLOODY VALENTINE, CLICKING HERE SHOULD BE A NO-BRAINER)

Quique ('keek') by Seefeel

How do I know you'll like Seefeel if you like My Bloody Valentine? Well it's sort of like this: if you like tacos, chances are you'll like burritos and enchiladas.  If you like bracelets, you'll probably like necklaces.  If you like drawing with markers, I bet you'll also like drawing with pastels or charcoal.  

Released in 1993, Quique is Seefeel's best album.  The songs are a bit less direct  and more ambient than what's on MBV's Loveless. That said, it's only a step below that classic album.  It has the same "whoa...awesome" feeling.

If you dig this, I am confident you'll also like Stars Of The Lid —though it's more sleepy.

Quique ('keek') by Seefeel