Boz Scaggs

His renown as the man who brought black-tie New Year's to Bay Area haute bohemia seems a fitting climax to a career that's transformed Marin County languor into the hippest in pop cool. Listening back to his biggest tunes, the best of which (except for the mean, jaunty pimp-song "Jojo") seem to have been recorded in the mid-'70s, you can hear everything from old compatriot Sly Stone to more recent compatriot Elton John. But many of his "hits," in case you didn't notice, were recorded right here in 1980, and so this collection includes three from Middle Man, one from Urban Cowboy, and one brand new fabrication. Silk Degrees isn't as tuneful. But when I want to remember how Marin County languor converted the masses, that's what I'll play. (Grade: B+)