Legendary blues architect and 2025 GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Taj Mahal has announced his latest studio masterpiece, Time. Set for release on May 1 via Resonatin’ Records/Thirty Tigers, the album is a sweeping masterclass in soul, reggae, and American roots music, anchored by a remarkable piece of musical history.
A Rediscovered Classic
The album’s title track, "Time," is a previously unheard composition by the late Bill Withers. Originally a forgotten demo nearly lost to time, the song was brought to Taj by producer Steve Berkowitz with the blessing of the Withers family.
"I had a lot of respect for the brother because of what he brought to music," Taj says of Withers. "Bill could walk out with an acoustic guitar and sing something like ‘Grandma’s Hands,’ and it would resonate so deeply. When this song came along, I felt that message in it. We were grateful to receive his blessing to record it."
A Global Sonic Journey
Across ten tracks, Time traverses the musical landscapes Taj has spent six decades exploring. Highlights include a reimagining of the Bob Marley classic "Talkin' Blues" featuring guest vocals from Ziggy Marley, the Afro-Cuban-infused "You Put The Whammy On Me," and the breezy swing of "Wild About My Lovin’."
The album reunites Taj with the Phantom Blues Band, his collaborators of three decades and the engine behind his GRAMMY-winning records Señor Blues and Shoutin’ in Key. Recorded at Ultratone Studio in California, the sessions feature a powerhouse lineup including Tony Braunagel, Larry Fulcher, and Johnny Lee Schell, with New Orleans piano great Jon Cleary adding further depth to the groove.
The Architect’s Legacy
From his groundbreaking solo debut in the 1960s to his recent chart-topping collaborations with Ry Cooder, Taj Mahal remains a vital cultural ambassador. Time serves as both a torchbearing tribute to the blues and a forward-looking innovation. As Ruthie Foster writes in the liner notes: "This is deep-groove, grown-folks music from a band that still plays like the night is young."
