Legendary blues and roots artist Taj Mahal has announced his new album Time, set for release on 1 May 2026 via Resonatin’ Records / Thirty Tigers.
The record brings together blues, soul, folk, reggae and global influences, continuing a career that has shaped modern roots music for more than six decades.
At the centre of the album is its title track, Time, a previously unheard composition by Bill Withers. The song existed only as an unreleased demo and was nearly lost before being brought to Taj Mahal by producer Steve Berkowitz, with the blessing of Withers and his family.
Reflecting on the track, Taj highlights the influence Withers had on him as both a songwriter and performer.
“He just had his own time and his own way of doing things. That honesty in his music meant a lot,” he says. “When this song came along, I listened to it a couple of times and felt that movement and that message in it.”
The album also features a range of material that reflects Taj Mahal’s wide musical reach. This includes a version of Bob Marley’s Talkin’ Blues with guest vocals from Ziggy Marley, alongside original tracks such as Wild About My Lovin’ and You Put The Whammy On Me, which blends blues with Afro Cuban influences.
Although Time is being released in 2026, the album was originally recorded in 2010 with Taj Mahal’s long standing collaborators, The Phantom Blues Band. The group has worked together for more than three decades and previously contributed to Grammy winning releases including Señor Blues and Shoutin’ in Key.
The sessions feature Tony Braunagel on drums, Larry Fulcher on bass and Johnny Lee Schell on guitar, with additional contributions from pianist Jon Cleary and organist Mick Weaver. Recording took place at Ultratone Studio in Studio City, California, capturing a blend of styles that moves between New Orleans grooves, reggae rhythms, country blues and Latin influences.
Few artists have had a broader impact on American roots music than Taj Mahal. Across a career spanning more than 40 albums, he has consistently pushed the boundaries of blues while highlighting its global connections. His work has influenced generations of musicians, and he was recognised with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2025.
More recent projects include Get On Board, his Grammy winning collaboration with Ry Cooder, alongside releases such as Savoy and Swingin’ Live At The Church In Tulsa.
With Time, Taj Mahal revisits recordings that reflect both his long standing musical partnerships and the depth of his artistic range, while bringing previously unheard material into the present.
Time tracklist
Life of Love
Wild About My Lovin’
Crazy About A Jukebox
Time
You Put The Whammy On Me
Talkin’ Blues
Sweet Lorene
Ask Me About Nothing (But The Blues)
It’s Your Voodoo Working
Rowdy Blues
