Taj Mahal - Bright Lights, Big City (Jimmy Reed)

This is a live performance by Taj Mahal and his amazing blues band doing their version of the classic blues song "Bright Lights, Big City". The performance is from the Montreux Jazz Festival, but I don't know what year.
The song was originally written and recorded in 1961 by blues guitarist and harp player Jimmy Reed. The song was one of Reed's most famous and reached #3 on the R&B Charts. (I've embeded the original Reed version beneath, there's no video, but it's some good music!)

I think that Taj Mahal and his band do a really good version. Taj Mahal really plays that blues harmonica in the style of Jimmy Reed, especially in the beginning really reaching and sustaining those high pitched notes on the harmonica. Also guitarist Jimmy D. Lane delivers and amazing guitar solo. Johnnie Johnson is seen in the background, and he does a little solo to. Great stuff, great band!
The song has also been done by "The Animals" and Sonny James, but I'd stick with Taj Mahal or Reed's version though. I really like this song, this is a blues song, no doubt about it, and Reed was one of the best in the field of writing good blues tunes.

Enjoy ; )

Bonnie Raitt & Taj Mahal - She Caught The Katy

This is a clip from "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson", it's Bonnie and Taj promoting an upcoming tour at the time of the broadcast. The tour is probably finished by now.
I watched this clip online about six months ago, and absolutely loved it. Love the way it's a call and response between Bonnie and Taj, it's just a great performance. The the clip was taken down, and I couldn't find a proper clip of Bonnie and Taj performing this song anywhere. There were amateur recordings from some of the gigs they played during their tour, but the quality was bad.
Then I finally found it, someone had re-uploaded the clip, I was ecstatic. I say watch it now, before youtube takes it down again. Watch and enjoy.

The song itself has also gained some notoriety. It has become a blues standard and has been performed by several artists. To name a few it has been covered by Albert King and probably most famously in the film "Blues Brothers" sung by John Belushi. According to John's widow "She Caught The Katy" is John's favourite blues song.
This is my favourite version however. The tempo is just right, a little faster than earlier versions. And Bonnie's slide playing really adds to the performance and just makes it even better.
A truly great performance. HURRY UP AND WATCH IT, BEFORE IT GETS TAKEN DOWN AGAIN!!

Enjoy ; )