Talk about a feel-good show, Sunday afternoons are rarely as ebullient as Daryl Glenn and Jo Lynn Burks' cabaret hoedown at the Metropolitan Room. There was country music playing as the audience arrived, more music when the band took their places and, with Jo Lynn Burks on piano and vocals, and Daryl Glenn front and center with guitar, the salute to Robert Altman classic film, Nashville was on the road. Glenn began with a lilting, "It Don't Worry Me," and why should it? He has a secure vocal tone, likeable personality, and feeling for his subject.

Without going into the complex interplay of plots and characters in Altman's film, Daryl Glenn revealed an easy patter and strong audience communication. His voice harkened back to Keith Carradine, especially with Carradine's Oscar winning song from the film, "I'm Easy." Special guest, the usually irrepressible Jay Rogers took on a martial air, stiff back and all, wearing a red, white, and blue uniform. He brought a patriotic feel to "200 Years." The film, after all, came out in 1975, almost bicentennial, just one year before that other presidential election.

Attractive Jo Lynn Burks played a good country piano beat and sang with the insistent twang of country classics gals. It cannot be said that she is really up there in the Loretta and Patsy ranks, but she was in firmly in gospel bluegrass country and her arrangements never lost the mood

The duo was accompanied by a five piece backup, with guitar, violin, keyboard and Tanya Holt and Brad Wills on vocals.

It's worth your while to set a spell in the Metropolitan Room with this romping salute to Nashville. Daryl Glenn made it clear that Nashville greatly influenced his film and musical education, and it was a treat to share it. There is promise in that guitar case. Let's see what this affable entertainer brings to us next time around.

Daryl and Jo Lynn return to the Metropolitan Room March 10, 16 & 17.

Elizabeth Ahlfors
Cabaret Scenes
March 9, 2008
www.cabaretscenes.org