‘Healer’: Just an Echo of the Boogiemaster : JOHN LEE HOOKER “The Healer.” Chameleon **

Pairing the venerable boogiemaster with admirers ranging from Carlos Santana and Bonnie Raitt to Los Lobos and Robert Cray was a great idea in theory . . . but not in practice. The performances are lethargic, and the decision to drench Hooker’s voice in echo was a severe miscalculation. The title track sounds like soft-focus Santana; “Think Twice Before You Go” is a limp attempt at one of Los Lobos’ roadhouse boogies; and Cray’s contribution to “Baby Lee” is so anonymous you can’t even identify him. Only the collaborations with Bonnie Raitt and George Thorogood squeeze out some sparks.

Albums are rated on a scale of one (poor) to five (a classic) stars.