Review - Daryl Glenn and Jo Lynn Burks Sing From Robert Altman's Nashville at The Metropolitan Room

Though The Metropolitan Room's fine martini selection always suits my refreshment needs very nicely, on Monday night I was feeling a severe hankering for something their bar doesn't stock, PBR in a can. That's because I was having a swell ol' time watching Daryl Glenn, Jo Lynn Burks and company singing the entire soundtrack to Robert Altman's 1975 drama, Nashville.

"They'd either get really excited or had no earthly idea of what I was talking about," is how Glenn describes people's reactions whenever he'd tell them of his dream to do a full show dedicated to Altman's film about various characters from the gospel and country music industry who get involved with a political rally for a 3rd party presidential candidate. I'm far from being an expert on this kind of music (I went in thinking that the film's Oscar-winning song, "I'm Easy," was Lionel Richie's "Easy [Like a Sunday Morning]") so I'll spare any comments on the show's country authenticity, but let's just say my toes were tapping and head was bobbing throughput the spirited set, directed and choreographed by Vince DeGeorge.

Daryl Glenn, who sings most of the lead vocals and plays guitar, has a sunny presence and a light, expressive voice that keeps you smiling throughout bouncy tunes like Keith Carradine's "It Don't Worry Me," and is sincerely touching in "I'm Easy." (Also by Carradine) Of the latter, Glenn says it's the song that first made him want to pick up a guitar and his affection for the words and music sweetly comes through.

Jo Lynn Burks, a former Miss Alabama and Miss Miami, music directs from the piano and wrote all the arrangements. With her hair teased high as the hem of her leather skirt, Burks has the kind of rich, creamy tones that serve up tunes like Karen Black's "Memphis" and Ronee Blakely's "My Idaho Home" so well. She and Glenn sound great together when they share Blakely's lusty "Tapedeck In His Tractor" ("There's nothing like the lovin' of a hard drivin' cowboy man."), giving the song a gay spin that 1975 country/western audiences might not have been ready for.

Special guest star Jay Rogers is all macho patriotism, proudly singing Richard Baskin and Henry Gibson's "200 Years," dressed heroically in red, white and blue. The terrific band accompanying the singers includes Ivan Bodley (bass), Chris Delis (guitar), Warren Odze (drums), Andy Stein (fiddle) and John Widgren (pedal steel guitar) with Tanya Holt and Brad Wills on backup vocals.

In addition to the musical treats, there are also chocolate treats - namely GooGoo Clusters - awarded to those who can answer Nashville trivia questions. So brush up your Altman and head on down to that little honky-tonk called The Metropolitan Room.

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