The Track Star Podcast

This week on the Track Star Podcast, we're joined by blues legend Taj Mahal. He spent over six decades expanding what the blues can be, weaving in Caribbean rhythms, folk, soul, and world music along the way. We got to discuss the artists and traditions that shaped both his career and the genre itself.

This playlist spans from Elvis Presley to Harry Belafonte to Miriam Makeba, and Taj Mahal has a story for every single one. He traces where this music comes from and connects the dots across Delta blues, jazz, Caribbean folk, South African rhythms, and Saharan guitar.

He shares how he discovered his favorite song growing up listening to his neighbor play John Lee Hooker on the porch, his deep love of bassists like Charles Mingus and Oscar Pettiford, the trip he took just to hear Ry Cooder play the 12-string guitar. We also talk about some of the standards he introduced and the most meaningful projects he worked on.

This Episode’s Track List:

00:00 - Intro

00:23 - Mystery Train - Elvis Presley

00:40 - That's All Right - Elvis Presley
1:44 - Boogie Chillen - John Lee Hooker

3:15 - Better Git It in Your Soul - Charles Mingus

4:33 - Day-O (Banana Boat Song) - Harry Belafonte

5:25 - Blind Willie McTell - Statesboro Blues

10:44 - Boomer's Story - Ry Cooder

13:36 - Matilda - King Radio

15:35 - Freight Train - Elizabeth Cotten

16:50 - Mbube - Miriam Makeba

17:13 - Mbube - Solomon Linda

18:02 - The Boy in the Bubble - Paul Simon

19:21 - Tamiditine - Bombino

Today, the always iconic Shania Twain is putting her music knowledge to the test. We met Shania on the streets of New York City and had a great conversation about country music, pop icons, the recording process, and her first big hit, "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?" Showcasing her broad music knowledge, Shania shared stories about Carole King, Def Leppard, Tanya Tucker, Minnie Riperton, The Carpenters, and Mutt Lange.

This week on the Track Star Podcast, Ziggy Marley joins us to talk about his passion for reggae, the musical inspirations that shaped him, and the legacy he carries as part of reggae’s most influential family. Jack guides Ziggy through a conversation about the genre’s legends, and together they explore some of the artists who helped define reggae from its earliest days.

The discussion begins with Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer, who, alongside Bob Marley, formed The Wailers in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1963. From those Jamaican roots, the conversation travels through time to other pivotal voices in the genre, including Toots Hibbert and Burning Spear. Along the way, Ziggy reflects on the powerful role community played in shaping reggae and driving its message from the very beginning.

The episode also turns to Ziggy’s work as a producer on the biopic Bob Marley: One Love, which tells the story of his father’s life and legacy. Jack and Ziggy discuss the unique power of music in film, highlighting figures like Jimmy Cliff, who starred in one of the first Jamaican feature films to introduce reggae music to a global audience.

This Episode’s Tracklist:

00:00 - Intro

00:30 - Simmer Down - Bob Marley & The Wailers

3:08 - The Tide is High - The Paragons

3:38 - The Tide is High - Blondie

5:45 - Marcus Garvey - Burning Spear

11:10 - Equal Rights - Peter Tosh

14:06 - Pressure Drop - Toots & The Maytals

17:35 - Tomorrow People- Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers

18:48 - Genius Love - Tom Tom Club

20:35 - The Boy’s Doin’ It - Hugh Masekela

21:47 - Here Comes the Hotstepper - iNi Kamoze

24:45 - Racism Is A Killa - Ziggy Marley

27:57 - No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley & The Wailers

32:24 - The Harder They Come - Jimmy Cliff

You may know Kareem Rahma from Subway Takes, Keep The Meter Running, or his band Tiny Gun, but today he joins Jack for a wild conversation full of hilarious tangents and Minnesota singer-songwriters.

In this episode Jack and Kareem rock out to some iconic bands including blink-182, The Replacements, The Strokes, Semisonic, and many more. Other topics include the Minnesota State Fair, avoiding obscene music rights costs, and debating whether “cool” bands still exist. You’ll definitely want to tune in to this one.

This Episode’s Tracklist:

The Strokes - Hard to Explain

Blink-182 - All the Small Things

Third Eye Blind - Semi-Charmed Life

The Replacements - I Will Dare

Beck - Loser

Semisonic - Closing Time

Soul Asylum - Runaway Train

Hüsker Dü - Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely

4 Non Blondes - What's Up?

On today’s episode of the Track Star podcast, we’re celebrating the centennial of Miles Davis with three musicians who share personal connections to the legendary bandleader.

First, we’re joined by Erin Davis, Miles’ youngest son, who had a firsthand look into his life as a musician, including the year he toured with his father as a percussionist in 1990. Next is Vince Wilburn Jr., Miles’ nephew, who carries forward the musical legacy of the Davis estate and also joined his uncle on stage in the 1980s. Finally, we welcome one of the greatest bassists in jazz history, Ron Carter. A three-time Grammy Award winner and widely recognized as the most recorded jazz bassist of all time--Carter performed with Miles in the legendary Second Great Quintet from 1963 to 1968.

Together, they guide us through different stages of Miles’ career by discussing several of his most iconic recordings. Carter also reflects on his personal experience performing with Miles and building his own path as a bassist. He describes how, for many years, bass players were kept “behind the palm trees,” treated mainly as timekeepers rather than creative voices, and how it took decades for the instrument to gain broader recognition as a true artistic force in jazz ensembles.

This episode offers a deeply personal look at the relationships, memories, and musical bonds these artists carry with them. We’re excited for you to hear it.

This Episode’s Tracklist:

00:00 - Intro

1:12 - Now’s The Time (Recorded 1945) - Charlie Parker

5:17 - Boplicity (Recorded 1949) - Miles Davis

13:55 - ‘Round Midnight (Live 1955) - Miles Davis (Ft. Thelonious Monk, Zoot Sims, Gerry Mulligan, Percy Heath & Connie Kay)

21:15 - Autumn Leaves (Recorded 1963) - Miles Davis

33:44 - Footprints (1967) - Miles Davis

35:03 - Nefertiti (1968) - Miles Davis

39:20 - Bitches Brew (1970) - Miles Davis (Ft. Wayne Shorter, Bennie Maupin, John McLaughlin, Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul, Dave Holan & Harvey Brooks)