At the age of 76, Mavis Staples is doing better than ever. The gospel singer even seems to match the success she had in the 60s and 70s with her family group . She has won prizes galore, tours around the world and is a regular on American television. The title of her 14th solo album Livin 'On A High Note speaks volumes. She has every reason to be happy. After beautiful albums with and , the
… singers now choose as producer. Another guitarist who has extensively studied the musical DNA of the United States. Ward likes broad arrangements with a lot of reverberation, but also often opts for simplicity. The songs were written by artists like , and . They provided subjects that touched the heart of the grande dame: faith, optimism, nostalgia, racism. An inspired Staples counts for at least three. Her lived voice impresses even more than the strong producer, the interesting writers and the good song material. Singing for over 60 years and no sign of decline yet. (JE)more