by Cyclone Wehner

Over the past three decades the raspy-voiced bluesman Taj Mahal has released more than 35 albums, and he is still going strong. His album "Senor Blues" even picked up a 1998 Grammy. While the current "Hula Blues" LP is the kinda atmospheric, smoky record that may appeal to fans of, say, Tom Waites.

The eldest of nine, Taj was born Henry Saint Clair Fredericks in New York. Early on, his family moved to Massachusetts. Although Taj was always surrounded by music, he chose to follow a career in agriculture and animal husbandry. Yet, during his years at the University of Massachusetts, Taj developed an interest in the roots of Black music. After graduating at the climax of the 60s, he relocated to sunny California, hooking up with other musicians. The name Taj Mahal came to him (of all things) in his sleep.

Taj formed a band called The Rising Sons with Ry Cooder and they landed a deal with Columbia. But things didn't pan out. And so Taj pursued a solo career. His self-titled debut came out on the same label around 1968. Although Taj is said to have been a catalyst for the blues renaissance in the mid-60s, he has never stuck with any one musical style. In fact, his back catalogue spans the whole spectrum of Black music, from the blues to jazz to rock to soul to R&B to reggae to calypso to world music to pop. Over the years, Taj has hooked up with a legendary series of artists -- among them Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, BB King, John Lee Hooker, Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley and The Rolling Stones. Taj continues to take an interest in the evolution of Black music. He even listens to hip-hop -- singing the praises of West Coast producer Dr Dre and forefathers of the genre like Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five ("The Message").

Now, Taj has assembled yet another band of his own. During his Australian tour Taj will be accompanied by his nine-piece Hula Blues Band, comprised of experienced musicians from Hawaii, where he himself has lived on the isle of Kauai for the past 12 years.

You've enjoyed remarkable longevity in a tough industry. What drives you these days? And how have you survived?

Well, it's not what drives me these days, as much as what it's all about -- it really is about music, and that's what I was always interested in. You know, it's never been about the music industry as such, and that was both good and bad for me.

Today's music -- specifically hip-hop and R&B -- tends to be sample-based. Do you worry that the art of playing real instruments is dying?

Well, I think that is never gonna really happen. I think that this is like anything else. It changes -- every generation changes and that's what is speaking to these kids right now. But, I mean, when you really sit back and look, they have to go back to what is right before them to be able to get the grist to make the mill work and in order to get the gas thing to go down the road. They've gotta go back ... No, I'm not gonna worry about that. I think it's cool. I think it'll grow. I see it as becoming more musical.'

Do you listen to much of that music? Do you have kids that listen to it?

Yeah, I like it. You know, only because I hear what they're saying and, again, it's a more immediate form of what the blues was when the blues was a rural phenomenon that was happening because so many people were in the same kind of situation -- or varying degrees of a similar situation.

Why did you decide to settle in Hawaii of all places?

Well, I was just interested in having a place in Kauai and to be off the road, you know. When you're in a city it always gets crazy. It doesn't really overwhelm me, but, with nature, to be able to go to a place like that, having been through that pressure, it's like you kinda de-tune. No matter how slow you go, you'll never be as slow as the people that live here. It's real nice.

I imagine the music culture is very rich there -- and quite different to the American mainland.

Oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah! There are more musicians per square mile over here than there are in many other places, save Jamaica and Trinidad ... There's a lot of musicians but they're natural musicians. You know, they're not like just aspiring to have the latest haircut or the latest shirt.

You made your acting debut in the film "Sounder" back in the 70s (besides writing some music for it). Have you done anything like that since?

I've been doing stuff all the way up to right now! In fact last year I just did another movie, which I think is gonna be out maybe in April or May ... I play a [radio] station manager. Meatloaf, another great musician here in the States, and myself are a couple of, you know, has-been guys who really try to make our lives work. And we kinda make it work on this Country and Western station out in nowhere. And all these lives tie in with each other. It's kind of a mystery thriller. Interesting ... Plus, there's other ones that I've scored, too. And those are really good -- "Brothers" and, um, Oh God, I dunno! I've been a musical director (also).

Taj Mahal has just finished playing the Byron Bay East Coast Blues and Roots Festival (1-4 April) and is working his way around Oz capital cities for a lightning tour.