Tag Archives: Valerie June

Mavis Staple: Livin’ On A High Note

On February 19, 2016, “Epitaph” label released “Livin’ on a High Note”, the Mavis Staples studio album. It was recorded in August 2015, at “Agoura Borealis” in Agoura Hills, California, “Kingsize” in Los Angeles, and “CRC” in Chicago, and was produced by Matthew Ward.

Personnel:

  • Mavis Staples – vocals
  • Donny Gerrard – vocals
  • Rick Holmstrom – guitar
  • Tucker Martine – tambourine, mixing
  • Matthew Ward – guitars, organ, synthesizer, backing vocals
  • Jeff Turmes – bass
  • Stephen Hodges – drums
  • Alex Budman – tenor saxophone, flute
  • David Moyer – baritone saxophone
  • Sean Billings – trumpet
  • Nathaniel Walcott – trumpet, clavinet, horn arrangements
  • Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews – trumpet, trombone
  • Humberto Ruiz – trombone
  • Vicki Randle – backing vocals
  • Pierre de Reeder, Josh Kvale, Mat Lejeune – engineer
  • Adam Ayan – mastering
  • Masaki Koike – art direction, design

Track listing:

  1. Take Us Back – Benjamin Booker
  2. Love and Trust – Ben Harper
  3. If It’s a Light – Charity Rose Thielen
  4. Action – Merrill Garbus
  5. High Note – Valerie June
  6. Don’t Cry – Matthew Ward
  7. Tomorrow – Jon Batiste, Aloe Blacc
  8. Dedicated – Justine Vernon, Matthew Ward
  9. History Now – Neko Case, Donny Gerrard, Laura Veirs
  10. One Love – Aaron Livingston
  11. Jesus Lay Down Beside Me – Nick Cave
  12. MLK Song – Martin Luther King Jr., Matthew Ward