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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Cool Guy, Cool Tunes, Coolest Name Ever

It was one of the great albums of the 70s and is comfortably ensconced in my all-time Top 10. It was impossible to categorize because it rocked, it swayed, it boogied, it crooned, it jazzed and I think it even salsa-d a little.

"It" was Silk Degrees by Boz Scaggs.

Say it with me: Boz...Scaggs. Every guy reading this wishes his name was half as cool. If he wasn't a musician, he'd have to be an old-time baseball player - maybe Mordecai "Three Fingers" Brown's catcher.

I've selected three tunes from that album, all written by Scaggs. I suspect all three will be familiar to old-timers. And I hope some young ears become attuned to a fine, underrated musician.

Let's open with a live version of Lido Shuffle, performed under less than ideal conditions (looks pretty darn cold) at Japan's Expo in 1985.



If I had a buck for every time this next song was played as the newlywed's first dance at weddings - I'd have a lotta bucks. It's a beautiful song, made famous when Rita Coolidge covered it. But I like Boz's take on it better. He flat-out nails it in this next clip.



The biggest kick I get out of this gig is finding out that musicians I loved way back when are still out there, playing their stuff in front of live audiences. It's a treat to see a 60-year-old Boz, still stylin', still way-cool, from a performance a few years back.



Thanks to HOJIRON, SK3776 and darylhsu for the vids.

12 comments:

  1. Silk Degrees is one of my all-time favorites. It still as fresh to listen to today as when it was released in the 70's. One of the things I really loved was the Moshe Brakha cover photo.

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  2. No more appropriate use of the word "cool" exists.

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  3. All hail the mighty Boz! Fine choice, Frank, a great album by a great artist. It brings back so many memories of my youth whenever I listen to it. Like the looks my hard-rocker friends would give me whenever they caught me trying to learn the guitar solo from "Lowdown" ... gotta go, my guitar beckons.... :)

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  4. Oh no.. you're going to try to make me call you "The Boz" again, aren't you? ;) "Mr. Scaggs" is out too!

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  5. Lido and Lowdown are two of the most overplayed cuts in radio history. Every time I hear them come on, I groan. But then I get sucked in one more time. Takes talent to make people love listening to things they're tired of hearing. I heard that Wade Boggs told Levi Stubbs that Boz Scaggs liked Flatt and Scruggs. I also once shared a hospital room with a guy named Russell Russell Russell. That one is actually true. Names are weird, and I'm living proof.

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  6. Boz is way cool. I saw him @ 1978, he put on a suave performance. He was a handsome guy; I bet his farts don't stink. I wonder what Cay thinks?;)

    You better collect a quarter from Theresa and Evan.

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  7. I agree, Steve. That album scored on every level.

    I won't argue with you, mymamasara. (I'll just whisper a couple of words...David Bowie...yeah, close call.) ;)

    Charlie, I'm not surprised you'd appreciate the musicianship. :)

    Hil, just "Boz" would be fine. No need for formality. :)

    You are indeed, Cay. Boz didn't get that kind of oversaturated airplay this side of the border.

    I didn't know you'd seen him, Lisa. Nifty. Now what's this about a quarter?

    Thanks all, for taking the time to visit, listen, and say a few words. :)

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  8. would you believe I never heard Boz do 'we're all alone' before!!
    and I thought rita's version was the one
    he does nail it

    I love how you said if not a musician then a ball player :)
    I always thought it was a great sports name

    Bugs me when people pronounce Boz as Boss

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  9. Missed this somehow, Dianne. Sorry. Thanks for the visit. :)

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  10. I got to see Boz play twice during the 70s...what an amazing voice the guy has!

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  11. I envy you, bassman. Thanks for the note.

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  12. One of my old time favorite artist, great choice!

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You don't have to love it in order to comment.