Saga of the Good Life & Hard Times
Big Maybelle was among the greatest female vocalists to achieve limited popularity. This was one of her last if not her last effort. The arrangements are a little to very overdone. A lesser singer might have been buried amongst the horns, however, Maybelle chews them up and spits them out. This is a great, emotional album that will delight fans of Maybelle. The Okeh and Savoy recordings may be a better starting point in terms of Maybelle's output, however, you don't need the earlier stuff to appreciate this recording. This is just an incredible, soulful album that I strongly recommend to those who enjoy jazz/blues vocals.
