A smooth turn down jazz’s side streets.
Boz Scaggs takes the scenic route on Detour, his first album in seven years — and what a ride it is. Teaming up with pianist Seth Asarnow, Scaggs delivers a stripped-down, soulful trip through the Great American Songbook, full of warmth, ease, and quiet surprises.
“It all started casually,” Boz says. “I didn’t plan to make a record — I just wanted to sing these songs I’ve always loved.” But what began as a relaxed session turned into something deeply personal. The set drifts between the familiar — Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald — and the unexpected — Irma Thomas, Lonnie Johnson — blending eras with the kind of grace only a seasoned voice can pull off.
Scaggs doesn’t imitate; he inhabits. His voice, worn and wise, turns every phrase into a conversation. The opener, Allen Toussaint’s “It’s Raining,” is pure late-night magic — just piano, space, and soul. Every track feels like a moment shared, not performed.
Fans of Silk Degrees or Lowdown will find that same golden touch here, only in a softer, jazz-lit glow. Detour isn’t about perfection — it’s about feel. It’s Boz and Seth, two artists savoring the simple beauty of playing.
Sometimes the best roads are the quiet ones.
Take the Detour — now playing on Classic Hits.
