Mavis Staples - In Christ There is No East or West

Mavis Staples: "In Christ There is No East or West"

Image from https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14666-you-are-not-alone/

To kick off my holiday practice of picking and sharing some of the many longtime and newly found pieces, styles, and artists of music I like, I'm starting on Thanksgiving Eve this year with an easygoing twist on a traditional hymn: "In Christ There is No East or West", sung by famed and well-honored singer Mavis Staples. I'll post my picks as often as I can through the end of the year, along with a bit of information with links about them, as well as why I like them.

The first time I heard a Mavis Staples cassette years ago, it was way overdue. I quickly discovered this woman is the real deal. She just sings--her low, earthy voice is like that of a wise grandmother combined with a soul diva, leaving an indelible impression. I couldn't help but seek out more of her music after my first taste. 

In this early twentieth century hymn written by an Englishman and newly updated by Staples with Jeff Tweedy in 2010 on You Are Not Alone, I feel she is telling the words almost more than singing them, quietly proclaiming them with absolute conviction. She could be instructing a small child, or a voter or a President, sitting on her knee or by her side. The gospel lesson she's gently and artfully relaying is an apt one in this world, now maybe more than ever. 

That's why I'm liking this.

Bonus: Enjoy John Fahey's 1959 instrumental version here.

--by Lenore Morales