Blues master mixes his music

Taj Mahal looms large as a blues artist. He revitalized acoustic blues during the '60s and has enjoyed a long, laudable career after he made a name for himself on the folk-blues scene in Los Angeles.

Yet Mahal, who was born Henry St. Clair Fredericks, has hardly been a purist. He has dabbled in a number of other genres such as reggae, jazz, R&B, zydeco and Caribbean folk.

"To me, it was always just music," Mahal says. "It's not about the categories, it's about the music."

Mahal, 69, who will perform Saturday at Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh, has been recording music since his eponymous debut disc dropped in 1968. It was clear from the beginning that he had incomparable guitar skills; the slide-guitar playing on that initial disc is exceptional. Those early recordings are still dazzling.

Some of Mahal's best work has that hint of the Caribbean. "That may be due to the fact that my grandparents were from the Caribbean and my father was a classically trained pianist in the Caribbean style. My father's people spoke with a Caribbean accent. Things in life that touch you, stay with you. That's had an impact on my music just like so many things have had an impact on my music."

The two-time Grammy winner has taken great pleasure in jumping genres. "I think that made me look a bit like an oddball," he says. "Not everybody is going from reggae to jazz, but it was fun for me. It's always been interesting for me to go to different places. You have to do what moves you. I enjoyed experimenting, but I always loved the blues."

The laid-back virtuoso, who can play more than 20 instruments, had the chance to jam with such blues icons as Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and Lightnin' Hopkins.

"That was terrific," Mahal says. "It was quite an experience. They were interested back then (during the '60s) because there weren't a lot of young African-Americans interested in music. So I had the opportunity to get to know some of those guys and it was just great. It was wonderful to have that experience and to be accepted by them. It's something that I'll never forget."

It's gone the other way for Mahal, who will be flanked by bassist Bill Rich and drummer Kester Smith when he hits the Meymandi stage. Now, he is the well-respected elder statesman attracting younger artists. Ben Harper, Ziggy Marley and Los Lobos appear on his latest album, 2008's underheralded "Maestro."

"I enjoy working with younger musicians," Mahal says. "The door is open for them like the door was open for me when I worked with those I respected. That's the way music should be."