Boz Scaggs Flac

Boz Scaggs considers Out of the Blues to be the final installment in a (primarily covers) trilogy that began with 2013's Memphis and continued with 2015's A Fool to Care, excellent outings that reflected Scaggs' desire to reach back into the cradle of inspiration. This set looks back to his 1965 debut album Boz (a solo acoustic covers set released only in Sweden by Polydor) and 1997's criminally overlooked Come on Home, a woolly, house-rocking collection of (mostly) vintage R&B and soul-blues covers, for its foundation. While these early recordings don't necessarily sound similar, they make use of the work of a particular set of performers and songwriters – including Jimmy Reed and Don Robey (credited with many of Bobby "Blue" Bland's hits) – who have always provided inspiration and grounding throughout his lifetime. Whereas Scaggs' two previous offerings were produced by Steve Jordan, Boz opted to co-produce Out of the Blues with Chris Tabarez and Michael Rodriguez, creating an impression of intimacy and loose immediacy that ranks with the swampier feel of Come on Home. His band here includes holdovers bassist Willie Weeks, Jim Cox, and rhythm guitarist Ray Parker, Jr. as well drummer Jim Keltner (the kitman on Come on Home), and guitarists Doyle Bramhall II and Charlie Sexton; there is also a selectively and impactfully used three-piece horn section.

When Boz Scaggs signed with Virgin Records after spending at least 17 years with Columbia, listeners had no idea what to expect. Some Change proved to be a pleasant surprise. Instead of going out of his way to be as slick and commercial as possible or offering something contrived and robotic, the singer-turned-restaurant-owner let his better instincts win out and delivered a very honest and natural-sounding collection of pop, pop/rock, and soul-influenced pop. On songs ranging from the smooth "I'll Be the One" (which has a slightly Average White Band-ish appeal) and the haunting "Sierra" to the ominous "Follow That Man," there's no question that Scaggs is coming from the heart. Arguably, Some Change is his best album since 1976's Silk Degrees.

Both artistically and commercially, Boz Scaggs had his greatest success with Silk Degrees. The laid-back singer hit the R&B charts in a big way with the addictive, sly "Lowdown" (which has been sampled by more than a few rappers and remains a favorite among baby-boomer soul fans) and expressed his love of smooth soul music almost as well on the appealing "What Can I Say." But Scaggs was essentially a pop/rocker, and in that area he has a considerable amount of fun on "Lido Shuffle" (another major hit single), "What Do You Want the Girl to Do," and "Jump Street." Meanwhile, "We're All Alone" and "Harbor Lights" became staples on adult contemporary radio. Though not remarkable, the ballads have more heart than most of the bland material dominating that format.

But Beautiful is an album of pop standards by Boz Scaggs, released in 2003. An assured, logical next step in an enduring musical career, But Beautiful signals the arrival of an important new voice in the domain of the great American songbook. It features Scaggs performing standards such as Sophisticated Lady, and Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered with the classic jazz quartet that includes pianist and arranger Paul Nagel and bright new star from the San Francisco jazz scene, saxophonist Eric Crystal. But Beautiful reached number one on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart in 2004.

On Memphis, Boz Scaggs pays tribute to the city's magnificent soul tradition, Al Green, and producer Willie Mitchell and his Royal Recordings studio, whose location and personnel were used to cut it in three days. Produced by drummer Steve Jordan, the core band includes the singer and Ray Parker, Jr. on guitars, and bassist Willie Weeks, augmented by the Royal Horns & Strings, a small backing chorus, sidemen, and guests. Green's influence is celebrated in the opener, Scaggs' "Gone Baby Gone." Its wafting B-3, Rhodes, fluid electric guitars, and a tight backbeat underscore his baritone croon to excellent effect. If there were doubts about the quality of his voice at this juncture, they're immediately dispelled when his sweet falsetto emerges. In his cover of Green's "So Good to Be Here," Scaggs references him but digs deeper into his own trick bag with more rounded, earthier highlights.