Boz Scaggs and his band deliver at the Garde
New London — Not sure what it says about the pervasive power of the National Football League and/or the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants but, in the lobby of the Garde Arts Center Sunday night, shortly before a polished, resonant 90-minute performance by Boz Scaggs, three different folks were overheard expressing concerns about how big the crowd might be.
“This is football night, right? The NFL season’s started, right?” said one. Another: “The Cowboys are playing the Giants as we speak!” (This delivered, admittedly, with a bit of wistfulness, as though the allure of a big screen TV and Eli Manning and that Jerry Jones idiot were damned tempting.) And: “I didn’t think about football when I bought these tickets.”
Two hours later — with plenty of time, by the way, to still get home and catch the game’s second half — I’ll bet there wasn’t one person in the near-capacity venue who remotely regretted the decision to see Scaggs.
Now 73 and looking (and sounding) at least a decade-and-a-half younger, Scaggs has always occupied a top-tier spot in what might be called light soul/pop — a genre perhaps most successful in the ’70s and practiced to one degree or another by artists like Michael McDonald, the Little River Band, Christopher Cross, Gino Vanelli, Steely Dan, Hall & Oates, Toto, and latter-era Chicago and Ambrosia.
Taking the stage in a tailsout white dress shirt and dark slacks, Scaggs, along with his intuitive and empathetic band, delivered a lean and beautifully performed 10-song set followed by a three-tune encore. Early on, Scaggs announced the evening’s presentation would include faves as well as material reflecting recent albums, the Stax-flavored, cover-heavy “Memphis” and “A Fool to Care.” It was understandable, though his career includes about 15 albums of oft-stunning if lesser-known tunes and, from a personal standpoint, the absence of “Sierra” and “Time” stung a bit.
Still, Scaggs treated the happily mesmerized crowd — most of whom, like myself, appeared to have been introduced to his work in real-time, during high school or college — to the hits they grew up with: “Jojo,” “It’s Over,” “Thanks to You,” “Harbor Lights,” “Georgia,” “Look What You’ve Done to Me” and, of course, the set-ending, onetwo knockout combo of “Lowdown” and “Lido Shuffle.”
Scaggs’ songs are e’er melodic, cleverly structured, emotional diaries of love treasured and sometimes lost, and his voice is simply amazing. It’s got the tart/ sweet tang of a frozen daiquiri, which, along with a delivery that sounds like he has marbles tucked between his teeth and gums, is decidedly unique. Too, while lead guitarist Mike Miller offered fluid leads throughout, Scaggs’ own ax work should never be overlooked.
Along with Miller, the band included bassist/vocalist Richard Patterson, drummer/ vocalist Gene Lake, Erick Crystal on sax and keys, and vocalist/keyboardist Michael Logan Sr. They were exquisite, session-caliber players whose emotional investment in the songs made it clear their participation was about far more than just a paycheck.
A word about pop/folk singer-songwriter Jeff LeBlanc, who opened the show: The Long Island native/Fairfield University grad hooked the audience with instantly melodic tunes. His earnest tenor slid easily to falsetto to deliver massive choruses; his chord voicings were cleverly sculpted; and his delicate use of a loop pedal enhanced the material as opposed to becoming gimmickry for the sake of it. LeBlanc could and should be a star.