James Hunter James Hunter, the abundantly appealing British retro soul man, walks the line between quick and slick. He can quickly read a situation and make an instant decision about which direction to head. On Tuesday, his second consecutive night at the Dakota, he opted for restraint. It's a nicely appointed sit-down listening room, not a place to get up and dance. So he and his tight five-man combo played crisp versions of their songs, with an occasional but invariably economic solo. Between songs, Hunter made charming comments in his working-class British accent but he was concise. And, on the small stage, he wasn't able to get too physical, though he shimmied on one foot while playing his guitar. Hunter, 48, has opened for Irma Thomas and Chris Isaak at the Minnesota Zoo, played a set at Taste of Minnesota and headlined his own show at the Fine Line. At every gig, his genuine love for '50s and '60s American rock and R&B is obvious. This little guy with Beatle boots, a shiny blue suit and a pompadour could pass for Southside Johnny's British brother. It's like he's immersed in boardwalk soul. On Tuesday, you couldn't separate his originals from his covers of Bo Diddley, Leiber & Stoller and the 5 Royales. He seemed to have two styles, one that evoked Sam Cooke on the boardwalk, the other that suggested James Brown with a too-small backup band (just two saxophones, organ, drums and upright bass plus his guitar). Hunter did several tunes from 2008's "The Hard Way," his most recent CD, a few selections from 2006's "People Gonna Talk" and even some unrecorded numbers. Highlights of his 85-minute set included the 5 Royales' "Baby I'm Doing It," "Down Under" (with his most impassioned vocals) and a jazzy reading of Diddley's "Dearest Darling." Opening was Jesse Dee, a strong-voiced Boston blue-eyed soul man who loves a retro sound but presents it with a fresh attitude. He's the kind of guy you want to hear more from.