By Jon Bream Minneapolis Star Tribune Bruce Springsteen is doing it. So are Van Morrison, the Pixies and Steely Dan. Playing a classic album in its entirety in concert — along with random favorites, of course. On tour this year, Steely Dan is rotating the three biggest albums from its 1970s warped jazz-rock heyday: “Royal […]
Steely Dan plays ‘Aja’ at Chicago Theatre
By Greg Kot Chicago Tribune It was a night when East Coast cynicism crashed head-first into Hollywood decadence, ’70s style. Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen and Walter Becker were in town, kicking off a four-night residency Monday at the sold-out Chicago Theatre by playing their most popular album, Aja, in its entirety, plus additional songs from […]
Once-Reclusive Pair Now Road Warriors
By Greg Kot Chicago Tribune CHICAGO — Steely Dan famously quit touring to concentrate on recording meticulously crafted studio albums in the ’70s. But in the last decade, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker have spent more time on the road than behind a mixing board. And now, with a dozen musicians, they’re performing some of […]
Heaven by Way of ‘Aja’
By Margaret Wappler Los Angeles Times A few minutes before Steely Dan took the stage to play the entirety of its 1977 album, Aja, a man wandered the Gibson Amphitheatre dressed as Jesus. He was wearing shapeless sackcloth, with wavy, honey-colored hair that slipped past his shoulders, and he offered a benevolent gaze to every […]
Steely Dan Wrap Stand With ‘Gaucho’ Gig
By Jon Dolan Rolling Stone Last night Donald Fagen and Walter Becker got dressed, walked down the street and made a little lucre playing the most cynical music ever. The event was the final night of Steely Dan’s long stand at New York’s Beacon Theatre. They’ve been here since July playing the final three records […]
Review: Aja concert
By Dan AquilanteNew York Post Originally published on July 30, 2009. NEW YORK — The kings of jazz rock — Steely Dan — are still reelin’ in the ears for an eight-show Beacon Theatre residency that opened Tuesday with a towering performance. At this show, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen sang that they’d never go “back […]
There’s No Scamming Steely Dan Fans
Jazz-rockers offer unique trio of shows By Sarah Rodman The Boston Globe While veteran acts from Van Morrison to the Pixies are increasingly taking up the novelty of playing a classic album from front to back in concert, only Steely Dan is going for the trifecta this summer. As part of its “Rent Party ’09’’ […]
Donald Fagen on Our Secret Society
By Devon Wendell The International Review of Music Recently I had the opportunity for an exclusive interview with my great friend, mentor, and former employer, Donald Fagen of Steely Dan on the influence of jazz on his life and music. Here’s the result. And don’f forget that Donald, Walter and the gang will begin their […]
Becker & Herington: Playing Guitar for Steely Dan
Since their debut album was released in 1972, nothing about Steely Dan has been conventional, from their cryptic lyrics and complex arrangements to their refusal to tour for years. Co-founder Walter Becker and current guitarist Jon Herington talk to us about the role of the guitar player within the band’s unique blend of rock and […]
Klein and Hadar: Recording ‘Circus Money’
For his second solo album, Steely Dan’s Walter Becker made the unexpected decision to apply his band’s high production values and jazzy sophistication to the world of reggae. By Paul Tingen Sound on Sound The relaxed, sensual rhythms and simple harmonic structures of reggae are, in many ways, the antithesis of the cerebral jazz-rock universe […]
