Oh yeah! This is it! Ladies and gentlemen, the Orbit Room is proud to present, for your listening and dancing pleasure. The groovy sounds of The Dexters! Give it up, ladies and gentlemen! Oh Yeah! In the meantime, under this pitch is the smoothly sexy sound of the Hammond B3 (played by Lou Dexter). And the rock solid drumming of Mike Dexter. Moving to the groove on bass by the king of bass players...Pete Dexter. Last but not least the Cropper-like guitar work of none other than Bernie Dexter. That's it...The Dexters! They are Hip to the Tip and ready to go!
If you haven't guessed it yet, Dexter is a pseudonym for a Canadian super-group, sort of a Traveling Wilburys of the Great White North. You may not know them but these guys have played with the likes of Blood, Sweat & Tears, Ray Charles, Etta James, Long John Baldry, BB King, Bruce Cockburn and many, many more. On Hip to the Tip they get a chance to stretch out on their own, and pay tribute to their influences. Booker T's "Green Onions" gets things off to a smolderin' start featuring Lou, then the "Peter Gunn Theme" with a little James Bond music in the middle allows Bernie to show off his Duane Eddy stylings. "Born Under a Bad Sign" is next in a smoking instrumental version, Bernie (LaBarge) and guest Alex Lifeson (from Rush) tear up their fretboards.
The soloists are well supported by bandmates Pete and Mike who provide a fabulous foundation. Pete (Cardinali) is an incredible bass player who gets such a rich tone that the rumble maintains a sense of melody that is beautiful to hear. Mike (Sloski) is the Rolex of drummers: his time is true, he is subtle yet makes a statement. Lou (Pomanti) has been influenced by Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Booker T, and Groove Holmes, but knows his own way around the keyboard. Listen to his solo on Jackie Gleason's "Melancholy Serenade" mmmmmmmm. Katalin Kiss joins the band for a hot version of "Drown In My Own Tears", and Lifeson makes a brief return appearance on "1967 Again". Phil Dwyer blows sax on a jazzy "All About My Girl", but basically this is the Dexters' show, and the live recording is impeccable.
Produced by Pete Cardinali and Lou Pomanti Hip to the Tip is a swinging, rocking, smashing good time.
