I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release. Tall, Dark & Handsome from Delbert McClinton and Self-Made Men + Dana and it's pretty interesting. Opening with foot stompin shuffle, Mr. Smith McClinton really has a groove going. With great sax work by Jim Hoke and trumpet by Dana Robbins, this track is hot. Backing vocals by Vicki Hampton, Wendy Moten and Robert Bailey and a super band including Joe Maher on drums, Glenn Worf on bass, Bob Britt on guitar, Kevin McKendree on piano and B3, Jim Hoke on bari and tenor sax, and Quentin Ware on trumpet, Dana Robbins on tenor sax and Roy Agee on trombone, this band is super. On light swing track, No Chicken On The Bone, McClinton's vocals are well primed and Stuart Duncan shines on violin. Again excellent backing vocals by Hampton, Moten and Bailey enrich the track and Britt on acoustic guitar and mandolin nicely compliment McKendree's piano work. Very nice. With a jazzy undertow, Lulu has a loose, small club feel. A real nice solo by Britt punctuates this track with it's overall swing. Loudmouth is a cool, BB King like blues shuffle. Yates McKendree, Britt and Kevin McKendree lay down some tasty guitar riffs and Kevin's piano work is strong. New Orleans flavored, A Fool Like Me, has rich gumbo, with great stumble drumming by Maher and piano by McKendree. Delaney McClinton vocal paring with Delbert is really fine and the addition of Hoke on clarinet and Bari sax, Ware on trumpet, and Agee on trombone makes this track one of my favorites. Temporarily Insane is another favorite on the track with stripped down backing on McClinton's stark vocals sounding mostly like acoustic guitar but including Mellotron, drums and bass. Excellent! Wrapping the release is A Poem, a quirky track with rugged vocals by McClinton over minimal guitar by Britt and piano by McKendree. Strong closer.
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