Daniel Lanois performs with Trixie Whitley at the Black Dub concert in Montreal July 4, 2011. (Marie-Claude Forest, QMI Agency)

TORONTO - It speaks to producer-guitarist Daniel Lanois’ neverending quest for musical purity - or perhaps his insatiable curiosity - that he would be performing in the tiny Opera House club on Tuesday night, less than a week before his most famous collaborators, U2, put on the biggest show of the summer in Toronto with a return engagement at Rogers Centre next Monday night.

The occasion was the live unveiling of Lanois’ latest musical project Black Dub, a dub-blues-soul-rock trio featuring the deep, sultry vocals of multi-instrumentalist Trixie Whitley (daughter of the late, great Chris Whitley), the extraordinary rhythms of New Orleans jazz drummer Brian Blade, and Lanois’ dreamy, atmospheric guitar playing plus touring bassist-singer Jim Wilson from Los Angeles.

During the first of two back-to-back shows, Lanois, who’s also produced albums by fellow Canuck Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Willie Nelson, Brian Eno, Emmylou Harris and Bob Dylan, seemed to dig the familiar small surroundings having grown up in nearby Hamilton.

“This is a nice congregation hall,” he said. “I’ve seen many shows here. It’s nice to look out from the perspective of the stage.”

In fact, he made a point of pointing out his mother, seated upstairs at the Opera House.

“Now you know where all the talent comes from,” he said before adding: “You look beautiful mom.”

Frankly, it was a miracle the 59-year-old Lanois, dressed, or should we say disguised, in a toque, with a full beard, and a jean jacket, jeans and boots, didn’t pass out during the 95-minute set given the sweltering temperatures inside the club.

Black Dub’s debut disc was released last fall, delayed after Lanois was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in July 2010 but he seemed no worse for wear in concert.

The band played on a stripped-down stage, save for a small screen behind them onto which their images were projected in black and white as several videographers and a still photographer roamed throughout the performance.

There was plenty of jamming between Lanois, also on pedal steel, and Blade on a couple of lengthy instrumentals but it was Whitley who grounded the proceedings with her incredibly dynamic voice on such Black Dub tracks as Love Lives, Nomad - the first song to see her play on a smaller drum kit alongside Blade - Silverado, Last Time, Surely, I Believe In You, Ring The Alarm, and her own I’d Rather Go Blind.

Lanois also wasn’t shy about taking over on lead vocals, in both English and French on his own songs, The Collection of Marie Claire, The Messenger, Jolie Louise, and The Maker.

He returns to the area with the Harvest Picnic festival at Christie Lake on Aug. 27 in Dundas, Ont. - “near my mom’s house” as he pointed out from the stage where he gave the event a plug before the encore - featuring himself, Harris, Ray LaMontagne, and Gord Downie among others.