Album Review: Mavis Staples – Live In London (Anti-)
Mavis Staples celebrates her 79th birthday by making one of the best albums of her long and illustrious career.
This is gotta be a first…what other musician can claim to have recorded an album on stage while turning 79? Well, you can hear the crowd at London’s Union Chapel serenading the veteran singer near the end of this 14-track set.
Actually, this past decade has probably been Mavis’ most productive since she and her family were cranking out classic Staples Singers’ albums for Stax Records back in the late 60s and early 70. She’s released 5 uniformly excellent studio album in 10 years helped out by the likes of Ry Cooder and Jeff Tweedy.
What’s most surprising about this latest live set is how strong, how vibrant Staples sounds. Her voice has never been stronger.
What’s not surprising is the sheer joy and optimism that Mavis projects during each performance.
Songs such as Love And Trust, We’re Gonna Make It and Take Us Back virtually ooze good vibes. If you’re not smiling at the end of each of these, therapy is highly recommended.
Along with these recent fixtures, Mavis throws in a few old favourites including Talking Heads’ Slippery People, featuring a soulful call and response between Staples and backing vocalist Donny Gerard.
Of course Curtis Mayfield’s Let’s Do It Again is in there, with Mavis sounding as sexy as any singer a quarter of her age.
Best of all is her take on Funkadelic’s Can You Get To That. The band lays down a very funky groove, while backing vocalist Vicki Randle adds her magic to the mix.
Those who caught Mavis at Auckland’s ASB Theatre a couple of years ago will attest to the quality of Mavis’ band.
She has the same group here with guitarist Rick Holmstrom particularly stellar, throwing off stinging bluesy riffs throughout the show, adding more meat to this sumptuous live meal.
Usually live albums act as career stopgaps or filler, but this one sums up Mavis Staples career beautifully…soulful, classy and always funky.
May she outlive us all!
Marty Duda
