ISSUE #26 ISSUE #26 MMUSICMAG.COM MMUSICMAG.

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PLAY BOZ SCAGGS 44-YEAR-OLD DEBUT ALBUM, HIS 1976
multiplatinum megahit Silk Degrees, or his pair of standards records
from the past decade, and one constant emerges from his music:
He remains true to his vision, nding that sweet spot where R&B,
pop, jazz, blues and rock intersect and then customizing it. Scaggs
attention to detail, level of perfectionism, and endless exploratory
zeal keep his music moving to new places.
Memphis, Scaggs new release, isnt so much a departure as
an expounding on favorite themes. A longtime devotee of vintage
R&B, the Canton, Ohio, native recruited his favorite musicians
including bassist Willie Weeks and guitarist Ray Parker Jr., along
with producer-drummer Steve Jordanand headed to the titular city
to record classics in one of the citys most storied facilities, Royal
Studios. We cut the album in three days, says Scaggs. That wasnt
necessary but it just felt great so we kept on going.
Scaggs applies his distinctive vocal stamp, bolstered by his
emotive, perfectly framed guitar parts, on such timeless tunes as
the Brook Bentons Rainy Night in Georgia, Tyrone Davis Can I
Change My Mind, the Moments Love on a Two Way Street, and
Steely Dans Pearl of the Quarter, as well as two Scaggs originals.
From his earliest days as lead guitarist and sometime lead
singer of the Steve Miller Band, to the heady, creatively teeming
San Francisco scene of the late 1960s and on into the present
taking off most of the 80s to catch his breathBoz Scaggs
has pushed the creative envelope. Since 2010 hes also spent
time collaborating on tour with two like-minded creative forces,
Steely Dans Donald Fagen and the Doobie Brothers Michael
McDonald, in the band they call Dukes of September. Slowing
down is not on his itinerary, even at 68. I think my voice is better
than its ever been, says Scaggs.
BOZ SCAGGS
The genre-blending genius takes on classic songs in a historic studio
By Jeff Tamarkin
Im still exploring Memphistheres something that
calls me back there.
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Why record at Royal Studios?
Steve Jordan and I had both worked at
the studio, and once we decided on the
kind of material we wanted to work with, it
was obvious. The idea was to put together
a rhythm section that was really used to
playing together in an intimate situation
in a studio that had a particular sound we
associated with a time and a place in rhythm
and blues. Its the only one left like that thats
still a working studio.
Is it lled with vintage gear?
Yes, exactly. Its the same microphones,
the same console. Theyve pointedly kept
everything the same, and we wanted to be
there because of that sound. Its rich and its
got an intimacy, a closeness thats part of
what we wanted to capture with my voice
and these songs.
Whats your connection to Memphis?
My rst love was the music that came out
of the Delta, and that was ltered through
Memphis. Ive been listening to that music
as long as Ive been listening to music. Im
still exploring Memphis; its an enigma to me.
My grandparents were from Memphis, and
I married a woman from Memphis. Theres
something that calls me back there.
Why select Steve to produce?
Steve is a very dynamic character. When
he comes into the room you know it. Hes
very engaged with his music, and hes very
respected by all musicians. Hes clear about
his ideastheres an aura of directness,
condence and competence with Steve. Hes
also one of the greatest drummers of all time.
Why did he mic your vocals so closely?
We wanted an intimate qualitythe energy is
calm and cool, rather than loud and frantic.
When I can get that kind of intimacy, I go
for it. We used ribbon microphones. Its all
analog gear, and you can feel the resonance,
the closeness and the emotion. Its part of
why we chose these musicians, this studio,
this microphone, this console. We wanted it
to be close. Thats what those records that
came out of there were about.
How did you choose the songs?
Songs were chosen over the last few years.
Ive been looking at a lot of rhythm and blues,
and a lot of diverse material. Part of what I do
as a singer is make demos for myself to t my
voiceI put them in my key and play with the
arrangement some and nd songs that t. I
showed Steve some of the things Id been
working onI had 30 or 40 of themand
we talked about an approach. I played him
some songs, and we chose them. There was
no particular criterion other than songs we
wanted to do that t with the kind of section
we wanted to put together.
You did two original songs.
Theyre songs that I had sitting around for
some time. Id played Steve some demos of
songs Id written, and he gravitated toward
those to encourage me to nish them. They
seemed to go with the rest of this material,
so we bookended the album with them.
How do you decide when to record a
new album?
In the 70s it was pretty common for most of
us to go on the road, go back in the studio, go
back on the road, and go back in the studio.
There was an 18- or 24-month turnaround
to make a record. We were young and the
record industry was entirely different. Since
I rejoined music after taking the 80s off,
Ive been able to explore different aspects
of my voice and the music Im writing. Ive
been very busy since I put out the jazz vocal
album Speak Low about ve years ago. Ive
toured more than at any time in my career,
and there really wasnt much time to record.
However, it has been on my mind, and Ive
been collecting songs and putting things
together. I have some blues and a group of
standards that I want to do. I have an album
inspired by growing up in Texas that I want
to do when I nd the time.
How do you keep up your vocal chops?
I feel I have more facility than Ive ever had.
The couple of jazz albums I made were the
hardest things Ive ever done as a singer. I
learned a lot and gained more control over
my voice. Aging may affect the physical
instrument a bit, but Im feeling stronger
than ever. Theres a point when a voice
can radically change but otherwise its an
instrument that goes on and on.
We wanted an
intimate quality
the energy is calm
and cool, rather
than loud and
frantic.
STEVE MILLER BAND,
SAILOR
(1968)
Boz Scaggs recorded two
albums with the Steve
Miller Bandtheir rst twoand while not
prominently showcased, the seeds of his
blues-soul leanings are evident within the
bands psychedelia. His boogieing Overdrive
is one of the albums highlights, and his
guitar work sizzles.
BOZ SCAGGS
(1969)
Recorded in Muscle Shoals,
Ala., and featuring the cream
of Southern R&Bs session
playersincluding Duane AllmanScaggs
solo debut holds up admirably. His epic take
on Loan Me a Dime became a concert
showpiece, and originals like Ill Be Long
Gone hinted at the downy blue-eyed soul
hed soon perfect.
SILK DEGREES
(1976)
His best-selling and
most highly regarded album,
Silk Degrees is nothing
short of a masterpiece. With ace session
players, Scaggs crafted the perfect blend of
smooth R&B, jazzy sophistication and pop
sheen for his sixth LP. Songs like Lowdown,
Harbor Lights and Lido Shufe sound just
as fresh today.
MY TIME: THE
ANTHOLOGY
(1969-1997)
Scaggs maturation has
been gradualand the
steady course of that evolution becomes
more pronounced over the course of this
retrospective. The set proves hes never
betrayed his allegiance to his rootsy ideals,
even while irting with seemingly outlier
genres like disco.
SPEAK LOW
(2008)
Scaggs always had a jazzy
touch to his vocal delivery
and songcraft, but it wasnt
until 2003s But Beautiful and this engaging
follow-up that he indulged fully in his love of
the Great American Songbook. With songs by
Hoagy Carmichael, Harold Arlen, and Rodgers
and Hart, Scaggs offers these standards his
poised touch.
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ISSUE #26 ISSUE #26 MMUSICMAG.COM MMUSICMAG.COM
Favorite memories of playing your rst
big shows?
The Fillmore and playing in Golden Gate
Parkplaying all over America for the rst
time when I had my rst couple of records.
Those were my rst big shows. Nothings
as vivid in ones life as when youre
22, and youre making records, and on
TV and in magazines.
How did Silk Degrees change your life?
Well, when you sell 5 or 6 million records
you feel it. But that was my sixth or seventh
record. It didnt come out of the blue, it
had been a progression. The musicians
I made the record with became good
friends, and they went on to become Toto
and had their own success. It was nding
those musicians and collaborating with
them that was the most important thing
about Silk Degrees.
Whats your perspective on it now?
I dont think my voice was so hot in those
days. But some of the songs have stood
the test of time. I still get a lot of requests
to do Lido Shufe, What Can I Say,
Harbor Lights and Lowdown. Rita
Coolidge had a big hit with a song on
that record, Were All Alone, and I still
get a lot of requests for that, too. I have
great fondness for the music and what
happened, and I wish all artists could have
that kind of success.
Aging may affect the physical
instrument a bit, but Im feeling
stronger than ever.
HOUSE OF BLUES
Boz Scaggs took a sabbatical through
most of the 1980s, but he didnt stay
out of showbiz entirely. In 1988 he opened
Slims, a San Francisco venue showcasing
R&B and blues artists. There were no clubs
of that size booking the kind of music I was
missing, he says. A friend and I found a
warehouse in an industrial section and
rented it. The idea was I would book some
music, hed take care of the bar and the
entry, and wed run some shows for fun. But
the experience wasnt as satisfying as hed
hoped. It wasnt what I envisioned it to be
in terms of a casual, every-once-in-a-while
music happening, Scaggs says. It became
a club. Musical greats from Albert King to
Booker T. and the MGs, and even Green
Day and Pearl Jam performed at the club.
Slims is still going today, but says Scaggs,
I havent had anything to do with the
operation since it opened.
Onstage in San Francisco, 2005
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BOZ SCAGGS TALIB KWELI PATTY GRIFFIN THE BAND PERRY
STEPHEN
STILLS
Carrying on
BEATLES
In pictures
ALICE IN
CHAINS
Rock ready
PARAMORE
Playing a new game
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