You don’t think of the blues as a music style that incites euphoria, but in the right hands that outcome is practically guaranteed. It was certainly true over the weekend during the Taj Mahal/Keb’ Mo’ one night only performance on Ravinia’s mainstage Friday night. Part of their Room on the Porch tour celebrating the pair’s second album together that was released earlier this year, the concert basked in the astounding music two seasoned virtuosos can create when they join forces. A jaw dropping foot tapping extravaganza, the concert featured the blues in a fresh new light by incorporating influences and tapping into sentiments you don’t ordinarily associate with the genre. Sound profiles that jolt the senses were laced throughout and themes that encourage, motivate and spark unfettered joy abounded. And along with that avalanche of innovation, side trips reveling in the classic beauty of tradition found their way into the mix, too.
Backed by a platinum band, the show opened in a blaze of musical fire that catapulted the pavilion and surrounding park to instant bliss. Igniting rhythmic heat that burned bright all night, the charged positivity it generated would remain an evening constant.
Dapper in a classic, black-banded Panama hat and wearing a many-colored jacket sporting gorgeous indigenous American designs, Taj Mahal proved some octogenarians can style and jam with the best of them. And in the case of the latter, even when he’s sitting down. Kevin Moore, better known artistically as Keb’ Mo’, decided to go in a slightly different, but still debonair direction by featuring black and muted grays; making him the picture of resplendent confidence.
Songs from the duo’s current album and their Grammy award winning 2017 collaboration, TajMo, proliferated and all were arranged and performed to shine with the radiance of the sun. That perhaps should be expected when you have a band of this caliber on a stage. Musician’s whose talent and craftsmanship have a chance to stretch out and bloom in a live performance where they generate wonder.
The easy synergy between the two blues giants seemed as relaxed and natural as it was impressive. In nearly every song the two men shared and exchanged lyrics with disarming ease. The effect was to imbue each number with subtle dimensional shadings while profiling vocal textures that brought the stories they sang to vibrant life. This arrangement approach also served to intensify their messages, resulting in a well-appreciated bonus to the night.
In "Ain’t Nobody Talkin’" from their first album, the foolhardiness of trying to keep incendiary secrets in a small town got explored in a blues tempo tailor-made to keep you hanging on every word and bouncing your head in sympathetic agreement. Lamenting how it feels to be tied to a roamin’ woman, humor and whimsical despair collide in Diving Duck Blues to make you laugh with empathy while grooving on a flat-out infectious melody.
Sliding into country bluegrass territory when an up-tempo dazzler showed up well into the show, the versatile collaborators reminded us how magnificent guitar and violin sound together when they’re creating a musical firestorm. Band member and back up vocalist Ann Harris had sparks flying from her violin as she careened through musical passages so masterfully and beautifully that you were simply left awed.
Legendary for the number and variety of instruments he may use in a performance, Mahal stuck with guitar and harmonica in this outing. That both he and his cohort played them sublimely wasn’t surprising; that the sublime could reach such high levels was. With its spirit of welcome and openness, the aura of Room on the Porch, the new album’s title track, permeated the concert from first note to last. Leaving the door wide open for a night of unbridled joy.
Abraham Alexander, a young guitarist and vocalist out of Texas opened the evening’s entertainment on the Carousel Stage. Singing thoughtful, reminiscent songs that encourage pause and reflection, his music’s calmingly beautiful style transports you to realms of positive possibilities. An ideal complement to the optimism and irrepressible energy that followed.
The Ravinia Festival's 2025 Summer Lineup runs through August 31 and features a bevvy of amazing events for music lovers of all genres! Head over to the events page and discover all the wonderful concerts going on this year!
