John Lucas; Accomplished Jazz Musician

John Lucas, who overcame physical disabilities inflicted by rheumatoid arthritis to become an active member of Southern California’s jazz community for decades, has died. He was 84.

Lucas died of complications from pneumonia March 17 at Arcadia Methodist Hospital, two days after his birthday.

Stricken with rheumatoid arthritis as a boy, Lucas was unable to bend his arms or legs, unable to get his hands within a foot of his face, unable to wiggle his fingers, unable to walk.

Refusing to view himself as disabled, Lucas became an accomplished professional musician, artist, writer and jazz historian.

Playing a trumpet that was stretched out so that his hands could reach the valves, Lucas started his own band called the Blueblowers and became a popular performer during the 1950s and 1960s at Los Angeles-area nightclubs such as the Beverly Cavern, St. Francis Room, Radar Room and the Track in Pasadena.

John C.V. Lucas was born March 15, 1917, in Minneapolis. His family moved to Southern California in 1920 and settled in Pasadena in the 1930s. After graduating from what was then Pasadena Junior College, Lucas enrolled at Stanford. But when many of his friends went into the service in World War II, Lucas quit to work in the military defense industry in Pasadena.

He also worked as a reporter for the East Pasadena Herald and began a lifelong hobby of drawing pen and ink sketches that he made into Christmas cards.

While a student in Pasadena, Lucas formed the Blueblowers, playing for student dances, usually in the school’s open-air gymnasium. The Blueblowers continued to perform until Lucas was 75.

Lucas started out playing the drums, a notable feat considering he could not bend his elbows. Then he switched to the marimba, and by his 20s he had developed his stretched-out trumpet and began to sit in with many noted musicians.

Survivors include a daughter, Susan Scott of Oakland; sister Elizabeth Watkins of Menlo Park; and longtime housekeeper Debbie Theys.

A memorial service will be held Sunday, April 22, at 2 p.m. at 1930 S. Santa Anita Ave. in Arcadia. In lieu of flowers, Lucas’ family requests that donations be made to the Local 47 Musicians Relief Fund, 817 Vine St., Hollywood, CA 90038-3779.