Taj Mahal & Los Lobos at The Klein on Saturday February 19, 2011

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The Fairfield Theatre organization continues to book major acts into the Fairfield-Bridgeport market. Taj Mahal and Los Lobos at The Klein in Bridgeport, CT, on Saturday February 19, 2011. This is a strong double bill of artists who each have decades of musical credentials and dedicated followings. I like the pairing and co-operation energy of these two collective genres, country blues and calypso from Taj Mahal and the ever eclectic, improvisational sounds of the band known as Los Lobos.

Taj Mahal

Its been a good 32 years since I last saw Taj Mahal at the Westport Country Playhouse with Jimmy Cotton. Taj is an itinerant musician who has a classic sound that is varied by lots of world music influences.  I did a term paper about him when I was in college and met him backstage in Westport in 1978. He played a National Steel Pedal Guitar as an instrumental underneath the tape recorded interview I did with him for The Fairfield County Entertainer Magazine.

Los Lobos

Los Lobos is a personal favorite band of mine. I see them every possible chance I get. I have seen them perform eight times from 1986 until now.    The first time I caught them in New Haven was at Toads Place in 1986  when they were performing By The Light of the Moon.

I have seen them three times in New Haven (1986, 2008, and 2010). They are always very cordial, willing to sign merchandise and say hello to the fans after the show. I find them to be very down to earth and friendly people. I love their synergy and where they journey with their music. I a liken them  as a Chicano Grateful Dead in a loving way as they try lots of different sounds and expressions with their music, jamming, mixing things up well each time they play live.