CD Review
Janiva Magness
Bury Him At The Crossroads
Northern Blues NBM0022
by Dave Thomas
Review date: November 2005
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"Keeping the Blues Alive Award" Achievement for Blues on the Internet Presented by The Blues Foundation
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Janiva Magness comes up with a very good CD, of deeply personal songs as Janiva
puts it, in the sleeve notes. Janiva co-produced the project with Guitarist Colin Linden.
The album comprises of 13 songs, some new and some old although Janiva doesn't go
down the road of doing tired over used songs, the CD package comes in a three sided digi-pack.
This collection opens with the rather nice "A Woman Knows" written by Jeff Turmes
who seems to be a musical "Jack of all Trades", Jeff contributes Bass, Rhythm Guitar,
Baritone Saxophone and Banjo to this album, I liked his Sax on this track. Janiva sets
the standard on this opener with her slightly gruff, full bodied vocal, making it a joy to hear.
I particularly liked her version of Oliver Sain's "The Soul Of A Man" which is very soulful yet
earthy, Janiva's vocal is set against some good piano work from Richard Bell. I think the
strength of this work is the sparseness of the songs and the quality of the musicians as
displayed on Jeff Turnes's "Bury Him At The Crossroads" which also features Jeff on Banjo,
but it's Colin Linden's slide guitar that steals the limelight as it weaves around Janiva's fine
vocal. Janiva does a blues version of a song, written by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
but more famously sung by Marvin Gaye, "One More Heartache". "The Whale Swallowed Me"
a song written by J.B.Lenior is just Colin, with some great guitar work and Janiva who is solid and
confident as she delivers a great rendition of this gem of a song. Some fine guitar starts "That's
No Way To Get Along" which is another track just featuring Colin and Javina and it's a delight
from start to finish. The strengths of this album is the inter-reaction between Colin's guitar and
Janiva's strong vocals, but there are other songs featuring a "full band Sound", like the Magic
Sam number "Everything Gonna Be Alright". A Jeff Turmes song ends this very good collection
of songs, "Eat The Lunch You Bought" with yet more delightful slide guitar from Colin Linden.
This is a great album, which has an intimate feeling to it, the playing and Janiva's voice are
top notch.
Northern Blues Website is www.northernblues.com
Janiva Magness Website is www.janivamagness.com
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