POP MUSIC REVIEWS : Blues, Soul From Cray and Friends

Blues fans and players often fret over the future of their music. But at the Universal Amphitheatre on Saturday, Robert Cray, John Lee Hooker, John Mayall and Buckwheat Zydeco demonstrated that their corner of American roots music is alive and well.

The Robert Cray Band headlined with an uncommonly tight set of sophisticated blues and soul, underlined with the complex leads of guitarist Cray. The band was its most soulful on the gospel-blues tale “Little Boy Big,” from Cray’s new “Some Rainy Morning” album.

Not all of Cray’s material was so exceptional, too often playing it down the middle with the rougher blues edges buffed away. But his band’s playing rarely failed to bring the music spectacularly to life.

The 20-minute “special appearance” by John Lee Hooker was painfully brief, but the 75-year-old blues vet left a powerful impression. From behind his dark shades, Hooker sang in a low rumble that carried the weight of the deepest, sorriest of life’s blues.

In this company, Mayall’s workingman’s blues often fell flat. The Englishman’s band hit every note right, but the profound emotion of the best bluesmen was somehow missing.

Mayall’s vocals lacked fire, but his one solo turn behind the piano for some slinky, lovelorn blues rang particularly true.

At least half the seats were empty when opening act Buckwheat Zydeco launched his set. What those latecomers missed was good-time music that was anything but blue.