Lee Fields / Expressions EMMA JEAN

Though he's been recording intermittently since 1969, the gritty, James Brown-inspired sound of soul man Lee Fields has undergone a bit of an evolution since he released My World in 2009 and 2012's equally fine Faithful Man. Part of that has to do with the fit he has with the Expressions, his much younger backing band that are among the brightest units on the retro-soul scene. They not only back the singer, but push him into exploring the full range of his voice, exploring colors he hasn't before as he declares, pleads, testifies, and cajoles. Together, they're a force that doesn't so much imitate Motown, Fortune, Stax, and Philly International, but rather creates a music that logically descends from them. Emma Jean -- titled for Fields' late mother -- is a seamless collection of 11 tracks led off by its second single "Just Can't Win," a midtempo groover introduced by the backing chorus, a slippery B-3, and a slew of funky breaks. When Fields enters, he finds a space between Wilson Pic