Uptown Theatre Napa

Blues-rock/soul man Scaggs doesn’t let age slow him down

Napa Valley Register - June 16, 2010
By L. PIERCE CARSON, Register Staff Writer

I don’t have to tell you that Boz Scaggs is one of the country’s most engaging rhythm ’n’ blues artists.

Nor should I need to remind you that he broke big in the mid-’70s with an album that contained hit on top of hit, firmly establishing Scaggs as one of the kings of blue-eyed soul.

What you do need to know is the singer/songwriter/guitarist, who turned 66 just last week, never played or sounded better than he did at his rockin’, smokin’ gig at the Uptown Theatre Sunday night.

Boz fans jammed the newly restored early 20th-century venue to hear the classy entertainer selectively pick through four decades of memorable songs in order to provide us with an hour and 40 minutes of soulful magic.

Boz Scaggs, the early ’70s bluesman, was present, evidenced by a gut-wrenching rendition of Fenton Robinson’s “Loan Me a Dime” that incorporated guitarist Drew Zingg’s blistering guitar. And there was a haunting rendition of another treasured Scaggs composition, the title track from the blues recording, “Some Change.”

The danceable Scaggs was represented by a couple of hits from “Silk Degrees” — “Lowdown” and “Lido Shuffle” — songs that make it impossible to sit still.

Cool as the proverbial cucumber, Scaggs reassured all he’s still a romantic at heart, crooning in chocolate-covered tones a couple of his enduring ballads, “Love, Look What You've Done to Me” from the soundtrack of “Urban Cowboy,” and the warm and fuzzy “Georgia,” another memorable track from “Slow Dancer,” that featured the slick Hammond B-3 stylings of keyboardist Mike Logan.

To open the show, Scaggs reached back three decades to reacquaint us with the “Broadway nights” enjoyed by “JoJo,” and included later on one more classic from 1980s’ “Middle Man,” a driving rocker titled “Breakdown Dead Ahead.”

One of the best songs on the live show set list is “Miss Sun,” a bluesy rocker that brings out the best in the band (especially the soulful sax of Eric Crystal) and shoves into the spotlight the terrific backup vocalist, Monet Owens. She’s a powerhouse, a dynamic soul singer who breathed new life into Bonnie Raitt’s “Let’s Give ’Em Something to Talk About.”

The only thing missing from Sunday’s show was Scaggs’ most recent focus, the great American songbook. He’s recorded two CDs of Tin Pan Alley standards in the past seven years but didn’t include even one on the set list the other night.

Me? No, I’m not complaining. Any opportunity to hear Scaggs and company dispense substantial portions of soul, rock, R&B and suave jazz, Boz-style, is an occasion worthy of my undivided attention. Just let me know the suave, sophisticated, immensely talented Scaggs is performing and I’m there. The fact that he has a home here and is now marketing wine from his Oakville Grade vineyards means we may get to see a little more of him these days. Please.

 

A great opener

One more talent we can attribute to Scaggs is his ability to spot new talent. A couple of years ago, Scaggs got to hear the slow-burning intensity of David Jacobs-Strain, a young Oregon bluesman on the rise.

Scaggs asked the mid-20s slide guitarist and modern roots singer-songwriter to open for him on the current tour. An awesome decision.

This young artist’s musical journey may have started in the wellspring of Delta blues but ranges far afield from there. Someone who had the opportunity to listen to Jacobs-Strain before I did has correctly pointed out he already channels age-old wisdom and heartache with such dexterity, energy and passion that you feel good, even about feeling bad.

Armed with a 12-string guitar and slide, the Henley/jeans/ball cap-clad troubadour delighted the sold-out house with compositions that ran the gamut of down-home blues (“You Bettah Come On My Kitchen Cuz It’s Gonna Be Rainin’ Out-of-Doors”) to heart-on-sleeve ballad (“Halfway to the Coast”) from a brand new CD. What a great way to kick off the evening. The long line at intermission of people buying Jacob-Strain’s CDs clearly indicated his rising star power.