New Album for Boz

Scaggs says that the new set completes the trilogy of releases he began with 2013’s Memphis and continued in 2015 with A Fool To Care. The album combines new songs with covers of originals by such longtime favourites of his as Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland and Jimmy Reed, as well as a remake of Neil Young’s title track from his 1974 album On The Beach.

The two previous releases were collaborations with co-producer Steve Jordan, but Scaggs oversaw the new album with Chris Tabarez and Michael Rodriguez in Berkeley, California. Four songs on Out Of The Blues are written, or co-written, by Scaggs’ friend Jack Walroth, including ‘Rock and Stick,’ on which Walroth plays harmonica.

There are several other impressive names on the contributors’ list for the set. Ray Parker Jr., Doyle Bramhall II and Charlie Sexton all play guitar, while the rhythm section consists of Jim Keltner on drums and Willie Weeks on bass.

Scaggs will tour throughout the year with the album, and has North American dates booked through to October. He tells Billboard: “Over the last several years while this [trilogy] has come together, I’ve been accumulating other music. I’ve written more songs on my own.

“I have a little backlog of things I think will probably include in the next one or two projects,” he continues. “I have a couple in mind that are already started that include more of my own work and are going in a little different direction. I think [the trilogy] was a time and place and we’ll keep it that way and move on to other things.”

Rock and Stick