Big, Burly Blues, With a Note of Truth, From Robert Lucas

Robert Lucas loves the blues. “The blues is a celebration of life,” he said during his first show Saturday at the spacious, attractive 2nd Street Blues Club in the Sea Port Marina Hotel, as he exhorted his enthusiastic audience of well over 100 to party hearty.

Lucas also knows the blues. “The wisdom of the words in Lucas’ songs are those of a true blues man,” was the brief testimonial from the legendary Willie Dixon that appeared on “Luke and the Locomotives,” Lucas’ second of four albums on San Clemente-based AudioQuest Records.

That feeling of authenticity, coupled with a cathartic energy, imbued everything the burly 33-year-old Lucas did in his initial 10-tune set.

He sang songs of happiness, such as his own swinging “Big Man’s Mambo,” which included the line “When a big man mambos / Ooh what a visual treat.” (He proved his point, swaying from side to side, a big grin on his face, as he sang.)

And he sang songs of sadness, such as “I Want to Be Your Baby,” with its lyric “Don’t know why things have to be this way / I’ll be a fool for you ‘til my dying day.”

But even the songs with mournful lyrics were done with an upbeat spirit, as if the mere singing of the words--with sufficient feeling, certainly--was all that was required to expunge, at least for the moment, a sorrowful mood.

Taking over after a modest opening set by the Lubricators, Long Beach resident Lucas got things cooking immediately with a percolating, beat-driven version of Elmore James’ “Dust My Broom.”

Casually dressed in red T-shirt, black leather vest and jeans, Lucas held a Fender Telecaster guitar and stuck a round, silver slide over his left pinkie. He began by playing a few instrumental choruses characterized by long, ringing tones that had a thick and compelling texture.

Lucas then sang the “Broom” lyric--it starts “I’m gonna get up in the morning / Believe I’ll dust my broom”--in his broad and appealing pale tenor. His notes were large and penetrating--he rode easily above his three-man band--and his high tones were often tinged with an ache, a crying.

His voice recalled Bob “Bear” Hite, of Canned Heat fame, making it clear why Lucas has been the vocalist with that renowned blues band for the last year.

After a few numbers, Lucas put down his guitar and concentrated on harmonica to accompany his vocals. He plays harp admirably, but the richness of his guitar lines gave the band a resonating fullness it lacked without it.

Still, his fat, reedy harp notes, his ability to take a note from a sliver and make it as big as a board, enhanced his own “Pretty Baby” and James’ “Stranger Blues.”

Lucas, who this week takes off for a tour of Europe, was surrounded by a dynamic ensemble.

Guitarist Paul Bryant offered a perfect complement to the leader’s vocals and instrumental efforts. He played with a wiry, tight sound and banged out punchy lines, many consisting of short, intense ideas that were repeated or slightly modified as he went on.

Drummer Johnny Morgan drove the band with a shimmering cymbal sound and hard-sock back-beat. He pushed and prodded but he never banged. Bassist Jerry Luithle filled in the bottom solidly.

The Lubricators’ opening set was notable for the energized vocals of Mike Foster and for the savvy guitar playing of Robert Lieberman, who at times emulated such greats as B.B. King and Freddie King. Had the band projected more oomph, their numbers could have been more rhythmically persuasive.