Bury Him At The Crossroads by Janiva Magness

28 Apr

Written by Richard Bourcier
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Janiva Magness is making here presence known. Although the Detroit bred blues belter grew up in the east, her success seemed limited to the west where she enjoys higher exposure.

In addition to a W.C. Handy Award nomination in 2004, Magness has received accolades from such prestigious sources as Blues Access and Living Blues . Bury Him At The Crossroads is the singer’s sixth CD and the first with NorthernBlues Music, an adventurous Canadian blues and roots label. Two of Canada’s top blues artists, Colin Linden and Richard Bell joined Janiva’s band for this recording session at the famed Mad Dog studios in Burbank, California.

Janiva Magness is a gutsy blues shouter in every way. Her knife edged voice cuts through with perfect clarity and she rides the rhythm with an astonishing sense of time. Magic Sam’s classic Everything Gonna Be Alright is a fine demonstration of Janiva’s searing style.

Some of the best tracks on the album are penned by multi-instrumentalist, Jeff Turmes. I’m Leaving You is very close to a perfect blues. It’s a hurtin’ blues. Turmes also wrote the title song, Bury Him At The Crossroads the delightful Less And Less Of You and the witty Eat The Lunch You Brought. Look for some high powered accompaniment from Colin Linden and Richard Bell.

If you like rough ‘n ready blues, check this out. It’s good blues!

Additional Info

Artist / Group Name: Janiva Magness
CD Title: Bury Him At The Crossroads
Genre: Blues
Year Released: 2004
Record Label: NorthernBlues Music
Tracks: A Woman Knows; The Whale Has Swallowed Me; Everything Gonna Be Alright; Lost And Lookin’; Wasn’t That Enough; The Soul Of a Man; That’s No Way To Get Along; Bury Him At The Crossroads; One More Heartache; I’m Leaving You; Less and Less Of You; Ain’t Lost Nothin’; Eat The Lunch You Brought.
Musicians: Janiva Magness (vocals); Colin Linden (guitar); Jeff Turmes (bass, rhythm guitar, baritone sax, banjo); Richard Bell (piano, Hammond B3); Stephen Hodges (drums, percussion).
Label Website: http://www.northernblues.com
Rating: Five Stars