Bonnie Raitt Links Together Three Distinct Versions of Blues

Fresh voice Alvin Youngblood Hart, African legend Ali Farka Toure and American “Queen of the Blues” Koko Taylor all made their Hollywood Bowl debuts on Sunday, offering three takes on the blues that vibrantly illustrated how closely humanity is tied by just a few musical tones.

Part of the Bowl’s world music series, the three-hour “World Blues Party” was hosted by musician and preservationist Bonnie Raitt. Along with passionate introductions, she provided her own connecting thread during guest spots, somehow managing to beautifully complement each artist’s style with precise, understated slide-guitar work.

Her playing made a striking, revelatory contrast against the ancient-sounding music of Malian singer-songwriter Toure, who played electric and acoustic guitars as well as the ndjarka, a tiny, single-stringed, bowed instrument that sounded almost flute-like.

Toure and his sextet’s hourlong set was, at times, thoroughly exotic, but also recalled the Mississippi Delta style of John Lee Hooker. The charismatic Toure spoke to the audience in French and sang in African dialects, but you didn’t need to comprehend the words to understand the yearnings, joys and struggles conveyed through his lilting, powerful voice.

Also evoking Hooker, while mixing in country and soul elements, opening act Hart proved a far more authentic young talent than such overly hyped blues-rock acts as Jonny Lang. His 45-minute set started with a pair of solo numbers, then included bassist Bill MacBeath and drummer Ed Michaels in tunes from Hart’s current album, “Start With the Soul,” as well as a homage to Texas blues (Doug Sahm’s “Lord, I’m Just a Country Boy”) and a smoldering rendition of Willie Dixon’s “The Same Thing” featuring vampy licks by Raitt.

Revving up her Blues Machine band for an upbeat closing set, Taylor belted out salty selections from her current album, “Royal Blue,” including a gritty rendition of Melissa Etheridge’s “Bring Me Some Water.”

The 64-year-old singer not only wailed her signature number, “Wang Dang Doodle,” with scarcely diminished intensity but also, abetted by Raitt, made the hackneyed “Hound Dog” exciting. This astonishing feat was a fine reminder that, although we take the blues for granted, it’s still full of surprising possibilities.