When five-time Grammy winner Taj Mahal intersects with The Phantom Blues Band, it’s one of those rare joints that hits you before you even know you’ve been hit. They walk in, plug in, and the whole room shifts. Studio assassins, road lifers, groove keepers and somehow still hungry. Mahal’s fearless, open-hearted spirit still shadows the whole thing with that genre-hopping joy. He leads you down the road with a history lesson and the Phantoms carry it with honour to the Griot.
Mahal sings and plays harp as he fronts an all-star lineup of legendary musicians with the three ringleaders for the Phantoms — Johnny Lee Schell, the soulful gunslinger with tone for days; Tony Braunagel, the drummer who keeps the whole ship steered straight and on time, every time; and Larry Fulcher, the anchor, the heartbeat, the quiet storm on bass.
On this record they slide through blues, soul, R&B, and island colour with the ease of men who’ve lived every bit of it. This is deep-groove, grown-folks music from a band that still plays like the night is young.
Recorded around 2010, Time weaves original compositions by members of the Phantom Blues Band with deep-cut blues interpretations, alongside a previously unreleased original song by Bill Withers.
The album’s title track, “Time” is a previously unreleased song written by Bill Withers, discovered as an early demo and, with the blessing of Bill and Marcia Withers, is brought to life for the first time by Taj Mahal and the Phantom Blues Band.
Taj and PBB’s collaboration spans over 3 decades, including the albums “Dancing the Blues” (1993), Phantom Blues” (1996), “Señor Blues” (1997), the classic live album “Shoutin’ in Key” (2000), “Maestro” (2008) and this new album, “Time” (5.1.2026).
“Time” is not a reunion, but a continuation, blending reggae, New Orleans grooves, country blues, R&B, and Latin rhythms—guided by the same shared musical language forged decades ago.
Taj Mahal & The Phantom Blues Band’s “Time,” from the new album ‘Time,’ out on May 1st.
The Fat Angel Sings 