Them Blues Singing Their Sweet Sound

TajMahal · November 9, 2013

TajMahal · November 9, 2013

Blues Ain't Pretty
It's a long way from Michigan to the West Coast, but Janiva Magness didn't lose a bit of that great Detroit R&B influence when she made the trip. She gained a dedicated, ardent fan base in the L.A. area and she enlisted some of the area's finest for this one. Kirk Fletcher and Kid Ramos tear it up on guitar. Songwriter Jeff Turmes plays bass and contributes some fine songs, particularly the slow smoker "The More I Keep on Losin'." Brother Red Young lays down some greasy B3, especially on the Ray Charles/Percy Mayfield tune "Tell Me How Do You Feel." And Magness is a little powerhouse throughout, just as comfortable shifting from Ruth Brown to James Brown. Fun stuff.