Taj Mahal (album)

The Victorian house featured on the cover, known as the Salt Box, was once located on Bunker Hill Avenue in Los Angeles' Bunker Hill neighborhood. Designated a city landmark in 1962, it was one of only two homes that were saved and relocated, only for both be destroyed by an arson-caused fire in 1969 while awaiting restoration at the future site of the Heritage Square Museum.{{cite news|first=Ray ==Critical reception==

Music critic Bruce Eder gave the album five out of five stars. In his review for AllMusic, Eder described it as "as hard and exciting a mix of old and new blues sounds as surfaced on record… in what had to be one of the most quietly, defiantly iconoclastic records of 1968." In a music review of Taj Mahal reissues for Entertainment Weekly, Tony Scherman gave the album an "A" and wrote that the album "explodes with high spirits; of Taj’s 30-plus albums, it might be the best." ==Track listing==

Side 1 • "Leaving Trunk" (Sleepy John Estes) – 4:51 • "Statesboro Blues" (Blind Willie McTell, Taj Mahal) – 2:59 • "Checkin' Up on My Baby" (Sonny Boy Williamson II) – 4:55 • "Everybody's Got to Change Sometime" (Estes) – 2:57 Side 2 • "EZ Rider" (arr. Taj Mahal) – 3:04 • "Dust My Broom" (Robert Johnson) – 2:39 • "Diving Duck Blues" (Estes) – 2:42 • "The Celebrated Walkin' Blues" (arr. Taj Mahal) – 8:52 ==Personnel==

The personnel listings in the album liner notes are not complete for each track. Taj Mahal provides all of the vocals and harmonica, but the rest of the musicians do not contribute to all tracks. Musicians • Taj Mahalvocals, harmonica, slide guitar • Jesse Ed Davislead guitar, slide guitar • Ry Cooderrhythm guitar, mandolin • Bill Boatmanrhythm guitar • James Thomasbass • Gary Gilmorebass • Sanford Konikoffdrums • Chuck "Brother" Blackwelldrums Production • Raphael Valentin, Roy Haleeengineer • Ron Corodesign • Guy Websterphotography ==References==