Delbert McClinton deserves to be best known for his own estimable body of work rather than the ephemeral fact he demonstrated some of the finer points of harmonica playing to John Lennon when both were on tour in England back in the early Sixties. Far better than four-time Grammy Award-winning Texan’s performances like this one should imprint him in the memories of music lovers: brassy horns surround McClinton’s weathered voice. At the same time, the rest of the band pumps away vigorously in a reflection of the bandleader’s immersion at the moment. Over fifty years of performing and recording have allowed Delbert to reach audiences as eclectic as the roots of the original songs that populate his over two-dozen long players: as on his latest LP, 2019’s Tall Dark & Handsome, the man consistently displays a genuine feel for blues, soul, R&B, and rock.
