Janiva Magness – Do I Move You?

More than most contemporary singers, Janiva Magness understands the blues dictum that less is more. She slow-burns as she puts some ache into Delbert McClintons You Were Never Mine, throws down a challenge in Nina Simones title song, romps heart-first through the Motown-like I Want You To Have Everything, and drags words out excruciatingly in Stealin Sugar. But she never oversings or injects contrived emotion, never puts a tear in her voice where one doesnt belong; she simply sings heartbreak, hunger and humor sings em with equally great chops and feeling and lets that speak for itself. Likewise her bandmates, especially guitarists Colin Linden (who co-produced) and Rick Holmstrom. You can always feel them, and often hear them, playing elegant fills and rhythm patterns, but when they solo, they say their piece with just a few well-chosen notes, then turn the song back over to the boss. Working in a soul-blues roadhouse vein not unrelated to McClintons, except this time with a bit more of a Louisiana feel than she usually conjures up, Magness has created one of the most satisfying albums so far this year.