Scaggs decides to chill out and ‘Speak Low’

PROFILE. Boz Scaggs rose to fame in the ’70s playing a smooth hybrid of disco and rock. But unlike many performers who rose to prominence more than three decades ago, Scaggs is not just rehashing the hits. He’s doing a different kind of oldies show.

Touring behind his new album, “Speak Low,” Scaggs’ set is mostly blues and jazz standards.

“I just sort of follow my interest in music in general,” he says.

This doesn’t mean you won’t hear the same Scaggs tunes that put him on the map; you just may hear drastically different versions of his hits “Lido Shuffle” and “Lowdown.” The latter song, known for the “wonder, wonder, wonder” refrain, has recently reemerged thanks to the new John Legend song “Satisfaction,” which has a generous helping of those wonders.

Scaggs says he hasn’t heard the Legend tune, but he generally enjoys being referenced and even sampled. At least now he does.

“There are ones that made me laugh,” he says. “When rap was first coming out there were some that were not very clever, that were really kind of raunchy lyrics that I didn’t care for very much. But for the most part it’s flattering in some way for people to reference your work.”      


Boz Scaggs
Sunday, 4 and 7:30 p.m.
The Wilbur Theatre
246 Tremont St., Boston
MBTA: Green Line to Boylston
$35-$50, 617-931-2000
www.ticketmaster.com