Seven Days: Vermont's Independent Voice

File Under . . . ?

In most record stores — of both the physical and electronic variety — you’ll find Taj Mahal filed under “blues.” Though there’s a degree of accuracy in that designation, in reality, the legendary songwriter’s voluminous canon defies such tidy categorization. Undoubtedly, his blues and country roots are often readily apparent. But they act more as a framework for his singular sound, which includes influences from nearly every corner of the globe. Whether solo or in collaboration — with anyone from Hall and Oates to Sheryl Crow, Ali Farka Toure to The Blues Brothers — the two-time Grammy winner has explored every musical nook and cranny he could find throughout a heralded, 40-plus-year career. This Thursday, June 18, he’ll appear at the Higher Ground Ballroom.