CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

We'll Never Turn Back

by: Mavis Staples

Release Date April 24, 2007
Mud gave me this to listen to as he knew I really liked Ry Cooder.
From the first track I was gob-smacked.
This was the Ry I had come to know and love on his early albums: very sparse arrangements, deep bass, Jim Keltner on drums and of course the slide master, Ry himself.

What about Mavis you ask???
Sure, I'd heard of the Staples Singers and knew a couple of their hits from the 70's ("Respect Yourself" , "I'll Take You There" ) but that was about it. I was in for a surprise.
Mavis "owns" the old gospel numbers as if they were her own personal themes. She also injects new indignation at the issues of today as she did in the 60s civil rights movements. The voice and conviction are strong and the message ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Have a Little Faith

by: Mavis Staples

Release Date August 17, 2004
Mavis is at the topof her game and in fine form. You can feel the Spirit right through your speakers!

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

A Piece of the Action

by: Mavis Staples, Original Soundtrack

Release Date March 27, 2006
Mavis Staples surprised me with this one when she let her inhibitions go and recorded this phenominal piece of music. Curtis Mayfield was a genius for coining the right melodies and tempos to let Mavis do something totally different than she had ever had. Now, let me get this straight (for all the haters) yes the lyrics of the soundtrack has little to nothing to do with the film. Yes Mavis came out the box and sang seductive, sexy, and alluring about sex and all the different ways she wished to achieve her ambitions. But the haters are missing the picture here. This is a soundtrack for the people who live in the city the film was shot in (Chicago). Even now, thirty years later that music and those lyrics are what's really going on; scheming, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

Music in the Air: 70th Anniversary Celebration

by: The Dixie Hummingbirds

Release Date August 10, 1999
Mavis Staples surprised me with this one when she let her inhibitions go and recorded this phenominal piece of music. Curtis Mayfield was a genius for coining the right melodies and tempos to let Mavis do something totally different than she had ever had. Now, let me get this straight (for all the haters) yes the lyrics of the soundtrack has little to nothing to do with the film. Yes Mavis came out the box and sang seductive, sexy, and alluring about sex and all the different ways she wished to achieve her ambitions. But the haters are missing the picture here. This is a soundtrack for the people who live in the city the film was shot in (Chicago). Even now, thirty years later that music and those lyrics are what's really going on; scheming, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Mavis Staples/Only for the Lonely

by: Mavis Staples

Release Date March 21, 1993
Although not as famous as other great singers like Dione Warwick or Aretha Franklin, Mavis Staples is made of the same unquestionable star material. She will knock anyone down with her voice, her style and her talent.

She one of the brightest stars on the American music firmament.

This CD comprises two LPs: "Mavis Staples" (tracks 1-11) and "Only for the Lonely (tracks 12-20). The last track is from another album: "Boy Meets Girl". All recordings date from 1969.

Interesting to hear Isaac Hayes playing the organ here. :-)

My favorite song here is "Since I Fell for You". It tops any other version available from any other artist. But this song is just one from a total of 21 tracks of sheer brilliance. ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

The Voice

by: Mavis Staples

Release Date August 24, 1993
I liked "Time Waits For No One," Miss Staples' 1st Prince-produced album, but this is the one i was waiting for from them! From the bumpin' funk of the title track down to the remake of the "Lovesexy" track, "Positivity," they finally gets down to the nitty of the gritty.

Digging on the lyrical portion of this album, i sometimes wonder if Prince is psychic or been here before. The lyrics "the nightsticks are still singing 4 part harmony on brother's backs..." slightly pre-dated the Rodney King assault. Elsewhere, there is the absolute truth in the words of "U Will B Moved" (...when the whip comes down on the back of one of your own/...when you look for compassion but you find you're all alone...), with the silky background help of her ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Heritage

by: Various Artists

Release Date September 16, 1997
OK, it was by chance only that I came upon this album, but I knew of Darol Anger and Mike Marshall and the San Francisco contingent, including Scott Nygaard, a personal favorite. These are some of the most talented players on the planet, but they all have remained close to home and hearth, carefully picking and choosing in which project to participate.

I am not going to dwell on the who's who on this album. Bob "Z" did an excellent and comprehensive job in his review posted here. This album deserves a wider following. It is comprised of the finest musicians, playing a staggering array of instruments, recorded in an acoustically rich environment. Add to this vocals by some of the most easily identifiable talent in the business and you ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Spirituals & Gospel: Dedicated to Mahalia Jackson

by: Mavis Staples

Release Date April 25, 2007
Lucky Peterson plays blues. Mavis Staples sings gospel. One might wonder if this Saturday night/Sunday morning combo could create a lasting tribute to gospel great Mahalia Jackson. But it works, mainly because the two stick to a formula Jackson favored: Vocals accompanied only by an organ or piano.

Staples was deeply influenced by Jackson's music and friendship. And it was her idea to record a tribute using the accompaniment Jackson prefered. But she had trouble finding an organ player with the reputation that would interest a record company. Peterson had this reputation. In the mid-1990s, he was a red-hot blues player for Verve Records, getting lots of radio play, and gigs at major festivals. He was famous for his guitar playing, but ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

Time Waits for No One

by: Mavis Staples

Release Date May 19, 1989
Amazing and wonderful are the right words to describe it. Unfortunately is out of production, but just in case you find it on E-Bay, don't miss it! Every song is unforgettable and Mavis sings with an unbelivable passion. Come home is my favourite, but you'll loose your mind for every song. GREAT!

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

Mavis Staples

by: Mavis Staples

Release Date December 20, 1995
I had a negative reaction in mind the first time I heard this album as I was expecting some warm, soulful gospel like the Staples Singers. I was a little taken aback by the style of this as I don't like a lot of 80's music much at all and also don't generally like this kind of thing either. Anyway, it's weird, but I gave this another try and it grows on you. Mavis is such a wonderful singer and the songs seem greater than the sum of their parts. I think it's actually really good music, though I lack understanding and familiarity with the style.