Like fellow San Francisco-Summer of Love-Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jerry Garcia, Jorma Kaukonen has a place in his heart for the hillbilly blues.

        The 62-year-old guitarist, most widely known as a member of Jefferson Airplane, has given his career a shot in the arm with the release of Blue Country Heart, an album of interpretations of country-blues classics and rarities from the 1920s and '30s.

        Those songs provided the foundation for Mr. Kaukonen's sold-out performance at the 20th Century Theater Tuesday night. Backed by Blue Country (Cindy Cashdollar and Barry Mitterhoff), Mr. Kaukonen offered winning versions of the Blue Country Heart stuff, plus tasteful acoustic renderings of material by the Airplane and Mr. Kaukonen's other band, Hot Tuna.

        Ms. Cashdollar was last seen in town a couple years when her band Asleep at the Wheel played on the George Strait bill. At that show AATW was backing up that annoying child singer Billy Gilman. Her new gig's a little cooler. Ms. Cashdollar didn't solo as much as Mr. Mitterhoff, a flashy and technically gifted mandolin player. But her dobro playing was subtle and sweet, and the two numbers on which she played steel guitar were crowd favorites.

        Mr. Kaukonen had the least number of solos. His finger-picking on acoustic guitar carried the melodies, and the slightest hint of improvisation and takeoff excited the crowd, a crowd made up not only of his fans but also alumni of his Fur Peace Ranch guitar school in Pomeroy, Ohio.

        With bluegrass greats like Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck and Sam Bush playing on Blue Country Heart, Mr. Kaukonen is approaching country blues from a virtuoso musician's point of view — not a singer's. Tuesday night's vocal performances of such Jimmie Rodgers tunes as “Those Gambler's Blues” and “Prohibition Blues” were about as dull as the music was special. After all, they called Mr. Rodgers “The Singing Brakeman,” not “The Brakeman with the Flat, Folkie Voice.” At least Mr. Kaukonen sang better than the late Mr. Garcia did on his out-of-breath, two-weeks-from-death contribution to the Bob Dylan-produced Jimmie Rodgers tribute album.

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