Search - Janiva Magness :: Do I Move You (Dig)

Easily Janiva's best album to date!

Charles Ragsdell | Highway 49, AR USA | 04/25/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first became aware of Janiva Magness when I got a promo copy of her 2001 release, "Blues Ain't Pretty" from a fellow programmer at our local community radio station. Janiva's vocals were strong, the original music was great, and I really enjoyed her cover of the Ray Charles/Percy Mayfield tune "Tell Me How Do You Feel". I was hooked from day one.



Her subsequent releases have always been 'must buys', and she keeps getting better and better with each release.



"Do I Move You?" continues that trend. Janiva shifts gears often, giving a varied view of the blues that sure is pleasing. Yes, Janiva is easy on the eyes (as evidenced by the cover artwork), but the view I speak of is the imagery she paints of a Chicago blues joint with her cover of Willie Dixon's "Workin' On Me Baby", then south to a Texas roadhouse with Delbert McClinton's "You Were Never Mine", over to a Tennessee honky-tonk with Ray Batts' "Stealin' Sugar", and finally down the Mighty Mississippi to a Bourbon Street blues hall with "I Can't Stop Crying", one of three songs written by Jeff 'Big Dad' Turmes.



Turmes has played with dozens of blues greats, and wrote a number of tunes on Janiva's past CDs, including the title track of her last album "Bury Him At The Crossroads". My favorite Turmes tune on this album is a really tasty acoustic Delta blues number titled "Don't Let Your Memories".



Producer Colin Linden and Tom Hambridge (author of Susan Tedeschi's hits "It Hurts So Bad" and "Rock Me Right") co-penned "I Give Up", a nice shuffle about working way too hard.



Another cover is the Cara Bell/Mike Hanks tune "I Want You To Have Everything", an up-tempo soul song originally recorded by Lee Rogers in the mid-60's. Also covered is the George Jackson/Eddie Harris tune "I'm Just A Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin')", previously recorded by Candi Stanton and Clarence Carter.



Finally, the best cover on the album is the title track "Do I Move You", written and recorded in 1966 by the late, great Nina Simone. Janiva really dug into the vault in choosing some of her covers, and did a very respectable job on them all, but "Do I Move You" is something special. It really shows why those three Handy nominations for Female Blues Artist have been so well deserved!



In all, every track on "Do I Move You?" is worth playing time and time again. There are some real fine blues, with some sweet soul thrown in for good measure.



I have had the pleasure of seeing Janiva perform live several times, both in club and festival settings. An evening with Janiva is well worth the price of admission, and worth a pretty darn long drive, even at today's gas prices!"

Understands the blues

D. R Smyers | dallas, tx United States | 05/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I recently saw Janiva in Grapevine, Texas and it was a relevatory experience. This is not your slicked-up, bogus blues parlayed by so many. This is gut bucket, down in the dumps reality. Hot singing, hot combo playing, nothing produced or pretentious. If you like the blues, old school variety, KoKo Taylor, Bessie Smith, etc., you NEED this cd."

Great Music

J. Monteith | Atlanta, GA | 11/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a great cd, lots of wonderful blues from a rare talent. If you get a chance to see her live, go. She was "2006 Female Comtemporary Blues Artist of the Year" for a good reason."