Concert: The Holmes Brothers in Sacramento, CA

Gospel-blues trio The Holmes Brothers are back at full strength -- and them some.

"About four years ago the devil tried to kill me with some damn cancer," guitarist/vocalist Wendell Holmes told the crowd toward the end of a stunning Thursday night (5/22) set at Harlow's in Sacramento, CA. "But it wasn't my time to go."

Wearing a crisp white suit, Wendell delivered strong vocals and a steady stream of understated but powerful guitar solos throughout the night's two-set performance. If anything, he seems to have come out at the other end of his cancer battle with a little more focus, which in turn has tightened the already well-honed trio another notch.

The versatile group -- which specializes in soulful, sweet-to-gruff harmonies and has been together for more than three decades -- is equally at home playing a gospel rave-up as a blues scorcher, and can even get plenty funky when the muse calls. Holding down the beat are Wendell's brother Sherman on bass -- who handles the low end of the harmonies -- and drummer Popsy Dixon, whose falsetto remains a thing of beauty.

Dixon notched the night's first highlight three songs into the set when he took lead vocals on a cover of Jim Reeves' country classic "He'll Have to Go," with Wendell and Sherman singing harmony. The song was slowed and stretched into practically a spiritual -- a trick the Holmes' effectively repeated on their covers of Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me," with Wendell singing lead, and The Beatles' "And I Love Her," with Dixon's vocals again up front.

Though covers and standards make up the core of any Holmes Brothers set, their latest album, 2010's "Feed My Soul," featured plenty of originals penned by Wendell as he recovered from cancer. Standouts on Thursday night included the stomp "Edge of the Ledge" and the title track, a fine slice of old-school R&B.

When on the road, The Holmes Brothers often welcome guests to the stage, and on this night local harmonica prodigy Kyle Rowland stood out on "It Hurts Me Too" and a few other blues standards. The Holmes Brothers have been together for a decade longer than Rowland has been alive, but the tall, skinny white kid slipped right into the pocket and delivered a series flawless solos. He's got a seemingly innate feel for the blues.