Detour
is
Boz Scaggs
' first album in seven years. It began as an informal series of demos on which he and pianist
Seth Asarnow
interpreted some of his favorite standards. They spent a few years casually recording the material with bassist
Hans Trowsea
, drummer
Jason Lewis
, multi-instrumentalist
Jim Cox
, violin and viola player
Jeremy Cohen
, and guitarists
Michael Miller
and
Ashra Weston
.
differs from his previous standards outings, 1996's
Fade Into Light
, 2003's
But Beautiful
, and 2008's
Speak Low
. It's less formal, more intimate, and relaxed, whether the songs were made famous by
Frank Sinatra
,
Lonnie Johnson
Ella Fitzgerald
, or
Irma Thomas
. It also includes a jazz redo of "I'll Be Long Gone" from his eponymous 1969 debut album.
"It's Raining" is a classic NOLA soul ballad composed by
Allen Toussaint
penned for
Thomas
. Accompanied by piano, upright bass, and laid-back strings,
Scaggs
croons but his smooth baritone inhabits the lyric, as if he is the man with the loneliness blues. Revealing the dimension in this classy approach,
takes on the immortal "Angel Eyes" (written by
Earl Brent
Matt Dennis
). It's been recorded countless times since the 1930s, the most famous version being
's.
' spacious vocal and bluesy arrangement imparts different shades of meaning. That said, his gorgeous reading of
Antonio Carlos Jobim
's and
Vinicius de Moraes
' "O Amor Em Paz" (Once I Loved) sensually weaves elegant bossa and chamber jazz. Influential early versions were recorded by
João Gilberto
Elis Regina
. It proceeds with an innovative read of
Ray Noble
's "The Very Thought of You" that borrows from
Nat King Cole
's recording but slides into its own lane thanks to intimate phrasing borrowed from
Billie Holiday
' original recording of "I'll Be Long Gone" was redolent in soul-inflected blues, with a revue-style backing chorus and a rock band. Here, it's a jazz ballad with elegant pianism, elastic meter, and ambient space. When
sings, "I'm gonna get up and make my life shine..." it becomes an emotional reverie sans the revved-up horns and guitars. There are many versions of
Sam Coslow
Will Grosz
's "Tomorrow Night;" it was bluesman
's signature tune.
slows it down as strummed guitars and tinkling piano reflect the emotion in the lyrics; and
digs into them with classy soul.
Bobby Troup
Leah Worth
's "The Meaning of the Blues" has been famously recorded by
Julie London
Miles Davis
' read is highly original in phrasing, shade, and tone; it could easily appear in the soundtrack to a film noir. Closer "We'll Be Tgoether Again" was composed by
Carl T. Fischer
Frankie Laine
; its definitive version is by
Tony Bennett
begins reverently, then unveils the core of his iconic talent as a jazz-blues singer yet completely retains the song's trademark grace.
is easily
' definitive standards outing. While its charts are basic, the songs deliberately lean into his changing, yet still phenomenal voice and iconic phrasing. The depth of his interpretations here is unmatched in the 21st century. ~ Thom Jurek