By Trevor MacLaren
Aja
Steely Dan
ABC Records
1977
When it comes to fusion, most critics consider jazz’s acceptance of rock, but not rock’s acceptance of jazz. That has been quite unfortunate, since when it comes to the music of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, better known as Steely Dan, many have missed out on some visionary fusion. Since their second album, “Countdown to Ecstasy,” Fagen/Becker have immersed their music in jazz. They even covered Duke’s “East St. Louis Toodle-oo” on the brilliant “Pretzel Logic.” Throughout their career they would experiment back and forth, engaging in some amazing results. But none of their albums captured this approach better than 1977’s “Aja” (pronounced asia).
One of The Dan’s major characteristics that has won them legions of fans is their devotion to articulate and complex music, usually played by a make shift band of top notch studio musicians. The second one features the dark perverse sense of humor that flows through Donald Fagen’s lyrics in his deadpan delivery. “Aja” lightens up the perversity of the lyrics, but it’s more intricate and complex than any of the other records. Essential to understanding “Aja” is understanding Steely Dan’s commitment of having the production to sound completely flawless. That means they refuse to let any bad or missed notes in a solo reach the final product. With the exception of the utterly “free” solos like Wayne Shorter’s on the title track, every note has been painstakingly envisioned and thought out by Fagen and Becker before it is mastered to the final product. Much like their idols such as Duke Ellington, they complete the whole picture before laying the paint on the canvas. That distinguishes their work from most recorded jazz, in which spontaneity is prized no matter what imperfections may result.
After spending a good portion of their time touring (which they hated), the guys settled in with some of the best studio musicians around and began to do strictly studio work — much to the dismay of their record company. After completing another great record, “Katy Lied,” and the so-so rock album “Royal Scam” without a hit single or tour, ABC Records put the pressure on for some radio-friendly pop singles. The result was “Aja.” Although it’s got a lot of long, intricate and complex jazz-based tracks, strangely enough it became a hit and even won a Grammy. Upon its release many cited it as the band’s best effort, while others decried it as a bloated ego trip full of crack musicians. As it stands now, “Aja” stands as an absolutely brilliant slice of smooth that could easily stand beside such records as George Benson’s “Breezin'” or Grover Washington Jr’s “Mister Magic.”
Opening with a track about a man forgiving his cheating wife, “Black Cow” sets the soft-toned texture of the record. Subtle drops of piano, horns and synths flourish in and out through the track, while Tom Scott’s horn pulls the track together. For the most part the record continues in this vein. It’s a world of soft-as-silk jazz that would be popular within the ’80s with a variety of performers. But on tracks such as “Peg,” pop chops slide into the mix. Although this may seem discouraging for some, “Peg” is a beauty of a pop based jazz that few songwriters have ever pulled off. Its layers of synth and horns mixed with gorgeous harmonies proved pop doesn’t have to be entirely based on three chord progressions. But the two most experimental tracks are also the most satisfying: “Aja” and “Deacon Blues.”
These two pieces make this disc a good starting point for the jazz lovers’ first adventure into Steely Dan. The title track certainly corners their jazz vision unlike any other. From the amazing Wayne Shorter solo to the graceful touches of Michael Omartian’s piano, Dan’s vision of smooth jazz was never as fully realized. “Deacon Blues,” although a single, is by far one of their finest tracks. It’s based on a solid funk line, driven by Chuck Rainey’s bass. Subtle solos, like Pete Christlieb’s sax work, recall the work of the late Grover Washington Jr. This intuitive combination helps make all angles of the track genius. Filled with synth, plus acoustic and electric guitars via Becker and Larry Carlton, this piece offers a hypnotic taste of various fusions, showing the unique vision that only Steely Dan could possess.
“Aja” stands as a unique record in both the jazz and pop genres. It is laid out with complex horn charts, a variety of synths, blazing solos and oddly timed songs. The album creates an original fusion that may seem strangely out of place by jazz or rock enthusiasts, yet it’s perfectly natural for listeners comfortable in each genre.
(Editor’s Note: Thanks to Jim “Hoops” McKay for unearthing and transcribing this article. Check out Jim’s site at http://www.dandom.com.)
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