Janiva Magness. Courtesy photo.
CAMARILLO — The second woman ever to be named the Blues Foundation’s B.B. King Entertainer of the Year will be performing on the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) campus from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. on Monday, February 25, in Malibu Hall, Room 100.
Blues singer Janiva Magness, who has recorded 14 CDs, was also nominated for a Grammy in 2017 in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category for “Love Wins Again.”
“She’s an old friend of mine,” said Performing Arts/Music Lecturer Steven Marsh, who plays the saxophone, clarinet and flute, among other instruments. “I used to play in her band when we lived in Phoenix after I graduated from Arizona State University.”
Marsh is one of the instructors who teaches courses on music appreciation and the history of rock, so he likes to bring musicians to CSUCI to expose the students, campus and the public to exceptional performers.
“I like to spend a sizable chunk of the first part of the semester talking about blues music, as that is one of the main origins of what later became rock music,” Marsh said.
Blues music has its roots in the African American musical tradition, reaching back to the Deep South and slavery during the 1870s. Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis are among the musical legends who were heavily influenced by the blues.
Marsh likes Magness’ performances because she gives her audience a little blues background between each song.
“Besides having an awesome and powerful singing voice with great emotion in her music, she is a serious student of blues music herself,” Marsh said. “She will talk about the various composers whose music she is performing and where the blues came from.”
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Magness’ journey toward her music career was not easy. Both her parents committed suicide when she was a young teenager and she gave birth to a daughter when she was 17, then was forced to give her up for adoption.
She cycled through several foster homes until she met a foster mother who encouraged Magness’ love of music, which was inspired by music in her father’s record collection. When Magness attended an Otis Rush Concert in Minneapolis, Minn., her path was clear.
“Otis played as if his life depended on it. There was a completely desperate, absolute intensity,” she has since said on her blog. “I knew, whatever it was, I needed more of it.”
Magness will appear with Zachary Ross, a Los Angeles touring and recording session guitarist who also composes music for films and national commercials.
The concert is free and open to the public.
Parking is available on campus with the purchase of a $6 daily permit; follow signs to the parking permit dispensers. Free parking is available at the Camarillo Metrolink Station/Lewis Road with bus service to and from the campus. Riders should board the CSUCI Vista Bus to the campus; the cash-only fare is $1.50 each way. Buses arrive and depart from the Camarillo Metrolink Station every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. For exact times, check the schedule at www.goventura.org.
About California State University Channel Islands: CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is reimagining higher education for a new generation and era. We are an innovative higher education institution that enables students to succeed and thrive – serving as an engine for social and economic vitality that provides the intellectual resources necessary for a thriving democracy. With more than 7,000 students, 1,200 employees and 14,000 alumni, CSUCI is poised to grow in size and distinction, while maintaining one of the most student-focused learning environments in public higher education. Connect with and learn more by visiting www.csuci.edu or CSUCI’s Social Media.