If not for a few people in the crowd using cell phones between sets, the scene at the Middle East upstairs Tuesday night could easily have been plucked from a ’60s block party.

The night kicked off with DJs spinning authentic wax. From there, local soul neophyte Eli “Paperboy” Reed shook loose with his seven-piece True Loves, setting the volley for unsung Nashville vocal legend Charles Walker and his backing Dynamites to spike the evening.

In the company of an inspiration such as Walker, Reed rose, jumped and jammed to the occasion. Fronting a colorful amalgamation of horn players, ax swingers and even a tambourine man, the Brookline native came off as a young James Brown.
Through singles including “I’ll Roll With You” and his new “The Satisfier,” Reed delivered timeless moods and lyrics that fit the throwback motif. Moving from energetic vibes into slower territory, he and the True Loves avoided sinking into generic pop-soul territory.

And it’s a good thing - because Tennessee revivalist Walker and his ensemble were listening closely. You would think that a Southern r & b veteran wouldn’t need to prove much chasing a 23-year-old white boy. But Walker liked what he heard and brought the goods to follow-up.

As accomplished soul men often do, Walker let his band set the mood while he waited offstage. With fat bass lines ricocheting through the small room, anticipation hit the ceiling.

Though it took his band 20 minutes to warm up, Walker got hot in less than 20 seconds. Grunting “Give it up, turn it loose,” he achieved the near-impossible feat of getting down and dirty while keeping a bright-white leisure suit spick-and-span.

Walker is the real deal, which makes his spins on standards such as the Stones’ “Satisfaction” that much more convincing. His stage presence also helps. Though he’s not as nimble as he might have been 40 years ago, the Dynamites still clear center stage at least once a song so he can break it down.

In the end, the message was clear: Whether you’re a soul survivor from Nashville, or Brookline High School’s “Most Likely to Front a Dusty Soul Band,” the most important thing is that you casually derobe as the onstage intensity builds. Because when the butterfly collars and lapel-less jackets come off, all you really need is some rhythm underneath.

CHARLES WALKER and the DYNAMITES, with ELI ‘PAPERBOY’ REED and the TRUE LOVES Tuesday night at the Middle East.

• back