Home » Search Center » Results: steely dan
Results for "steely dan"
About Steely Dan
Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
Related Articles | Concerts | Albums | Photos | Similar ToResults for pages tagged "steely dan"...
Steely Dan
Active since:
Steely Dan has been more of a conceptual framework for inventive music-making than a typical rock band. Spearheaded by a pair of resourceful musical auteurs Donald Fagen and Walter Becker - they have done nothing by the books since launching Steely Dan in 1972. The band’s very name is a scatological reference from a novel by Beat Generation anti-hero William Burroughs. Though Steely Dan recorded prolifically for much of the Seventies, they toured for only a brief spell early in that decade, deciding they much preferred the studio to the road. This allowed them to craft a wry, nuanced and hyper-literate series of albums - seven in all, released from 1972 to 1980 - that are highly regarded by connoisseurs of pop hooks, jazz harmony and desiccating wit. Beneath the highly polished surface of Steely Dan’s music, astute listeners could hear a visceral love of and identification with the very soul of jazz
Dean Brown: Global Fusion on Acid
by Jim Worsley
In memory of Dean Brown. This interview was first published at All About Jazz on April 23, 2021. From the outset, the equation was simple enough. Jazz + rock = fusion. However, whether it was Miles Davis, Larry Coryell, John McLaughlin, or any of the pioneers of fusion, the music has always been far ...
Les McCann: Never Say No Again
by Chris M. Slawecki
"Be who you are and not who you ain't. Because when you are who you ain't, you're not who you are." Keyboardist, vocalist, bandleader, songwriter and photographer Les McCann really talks like this. About his music, about musicians, about his career--about everything. I learned this during the following interview, scheduled to discuss Omnivore Records' ...
Wide-Eyed Lounge Cats: The Watermelon Sessions
by Kyle Simpler
Originally developing from rock music, jam bands have become a unique genre of music. Considering the improvised nature of the music, it is hardly surprising that many jazz artists have become major players in the jam base. Groups such as Snarky Puppy and Medeski, Martin and Wood have embraced the genre while keeping true to their ...
The Crusaders: A Retrospective
by Jason Elias
With the esteemed jazz/funk/fusion band the Crusaders as a guide, one could trace the rise and fall of commercial jazz in all in many of its permutations. The core group that is the most recognized was founded in Texas and comprised Joe Sample (piano), Wilton Felder (tenor sax and bass), Stix Hooper (drums) and Wayne Henderson ...
Vinnie Zummo: Jazz and Pop Tale Daze
by Mark Sullivan
Vinnie Zummo is best known for his guitar playing with singer & songwriter Joe Jackson. He appeared on every Jackson album from Body and Soul (A&M, 1984), through Blaze of Glory (A&M, 1989), returning for The Duke (Razor & Tie Recordings, 2012). He also has a long history of mostly one-man-band recordings on his own Vaz ...
Leaving Planet Earth: Amazon's Wayne Shorter Documentary Zero Gravity
by Peter Jones
Wayne Shorter: Zero Gravity Director: Dorsay Alavi 2023 Wayne Shorter was brought up in the belief that he could achieve anything he wanted to: there should be no barriers to his ambition. This three-part documentary--a true labor of love from director Dorsay Alavi--shows us that Shorter was far more than a musician. ...
Rami Atassi: Dancing Together
by Gareth Thompson
The Chicago-based guitarist Rami Atassi went on a south American journey with his wife to explore Mexico and Colombia. Amid the daily background music, he heard different styles and rhythmic foundations than those he was used to and took percussion lessons locally. All this later began seeping into his solo work. A Syrian-American, Atassi ...
Take Five with Singer-Songwriter Arnab Sengupta
by AAJ Staff
Meet Arnab Sengupta Arnab Sengupta is a contemporary singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based out of Bangalore, India. Growing up in the eastern cities of India, Arnab has absorbed a plethora of diverse musical styles, both local and international, and has diligently pursued the study and performance of contemporary music for over 30 years, while arriving at his ...