Get On Board, the new album by Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder is an essential album to add to your music library alongside the classics like 1972's "Will the Circle be Unbroken" by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, 1973's "Old and in the Way" with Jerry Garcia, and 1956's "Ella and Louis" by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. What all these albums have in common are artists at the peak of their game, recorded in a natural space, sound fantastic, and the music is made for fun, not for money.
The album is available on Bandcamp for $9 (16bit/44.1 kHz)
https://rycooder.bandcamp.com/album/get-on-boardHD Tracks has the 24bit/44.1 version, which is what I have.
https://www.hdtracks.com/#/album/625f04badccd03297cf9746eRy Cooder is 75 and Taj Mahal is 80, this is only the second album they have made together. The Rising Sons, their first album, was 56 years ago in 1966 and finally released in 1992 after both artists were famous. They are now old souls playing old music. Their performances are effortless, these bluesmen can really play.
The Rising Sons with 17 year old Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal
"Get On Board" is minimally recorded in Joachim Cooder's house, you can hear the space around all the instruments and vocals. The recording transports you into Joachim's living room.
The album is also an homage to Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee's album of the same name released by Folkways Records in 1952 with simple guitar and harmonica.
Further reading:
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/apr/25/the-past-is-immaterial-ry-cooder-and-taj-mahal-reunited-after-56-yearsEnjoy
