Friday, August 15, 2008

Music - Steely Dan

Wow! What can I say about Steely Dan? I grew up listening to their music, and I still love it. Led by the "dynamic duo" of Walter Becker and Donald Fagan, their unique blend of rock, jazz, and blues; often nebulous and mystifying lyrics; tight arrangements; distinctive melodies and chord progressions; and the constant flow of great musicians - from great guitarists like Elliot Randall, Denny Dias, Larry Carlton, and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter to back-up singers like Michael McDonald (who both went on to join the Doobie Brothers, and Baxter is now private missile defense consultant at the Pentagon!) and countless others - made them one of the premier musical fixtures of the 1970's. Wikipedia, which may not be a very reliable source for most things, is quite thorough (and most of the time accurate) when it comes to musical biographies and discographies. Check it out for a pretty detailed history.

This is from the video/DVD "Plush TV Jazz-Rock Party," a live concert given at the Sony Studios in New York City in January 2000. The song is "Green Earrings" from the 1976 album "The Royal Scam." I have the VHS of this show and the original album, and, personally, I think this is a better version than the original album recording.

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