Aja

by Steely Dan

Overview

Steely Dan hadn't been a real working band since Pretzel Logic, but with Aja, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's obsession with sonic detail and fascination with composition reached new heights. A coolly textured and immaculately produced collection of sophisticated jazz-rock, Aja has none of the overt cynicism or self-consciously challenging music that distinguished previous Steely Dan records. Instead, it's a measured and textured album, filled with subtle melodies and accomplished, jazzy solos that blend easily into the lush instrumental backdrops. But Aja isn't just about texture, since Becker and Fagen's songs are their most complex and musically rich set of songs -- even the simplest song, the sunny pop of "Peg," has layers of jazzy vocal harmonies. In fact, Steely Dan ignores rock on Aja, preferring to fuse cool jazz, blues, and pop together in a seamless, seductive fashion. It's complex music delivered with ease, and although the duo's preoccupation with clean sound and self-consciously sophisticated arrangements would eventually lead to a dead end, Aja is a shining example of jazz-rock at its finest. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	11/23/1999
Label:	Interscope / Mca
UPC:	0008811205621
Rank:	1414

Tracks

1. Black Cow
2. Aja
3. Deacon Blues
4. Peg
5. Home at Last
6. I Got the News
7. Josie

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Steely Dan   Primary Artist
Steve Gadd   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Drums
Chuck Rainey   Primary Artist,Bass,Double Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Wayne Shorter   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Flute,Saxophone,Sax (Tenor)
Tom Scott   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Flute,Lyricon,Conductor,Saxophone,Sax (Tenor),Horn Conductor
Victor Feldman   Primary Artist,Piano,Keyboards,Percussion,Vibraphone,Piano (Electric)
Michael McDonald   Guest Artist,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Bernard "Pretty" Purdie   Guest Artist,Drums
Larry Carlton   Guest Artist,Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Joe Sample   Guest Artist,Clavinet,Keyboards,Piano (Electric)
Steve Khan   Guitar
Denny Dias   Guitar
Bill Perkins   Horn,Flute,Saxophone
Chuck Findley   Horn,Brass
Clydie King   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Donald Fagen   Vocals,Keyboards,Lead Vocals,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background),Whistle (Instrument)
Don Grolnick   Clavinet,Keyboards,Clavichord
Jay Graydon   Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Dean Parks   Guitar
Lee Ritenour   Guitar
Walter Becker   Bass,Guitar,Vocals,Guitar (Electric)
Venetta Fields   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Pete Christlieb   Flute,Saxophone,Sax (Tenor)
Lew McCreary   Horn,Brass
Rick Marotta   Drums
Dick Hyde   Brass,Trombone
Sherlie Matthews   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Timothy B. Schmit   Bass,Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Paul Humphrey   Drums
Gary Coleman   Percussion
Paul Griffin   Vocals,Keyboards,Fender Rhodes,Piano (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Jackie Kelso   Horn,Flute,Saxophone
Ed Greene   Drums
Jim Keltner   Drums,Percussion
Jim Horn   Flute,Saxophone
Plas Johnson   Flute,Saxophone
Michael Omartian   Piano,Keyboards
Rebecca Louis   Vocals,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Steve Gadd   Special Participation
Bernie Grundman   Mastering
Bill Schnee   Engineer
Chuck Rainey   Special Participation
Elliot Scheiner   Engineer
Donald Fagen   Composer,Liner Notes
Ed Rak   Assistant Engineer
Walter Becker   Composer,Liner Notes,Photography
Lenise Bent   Assistant Engineer
Wayne Shorter   Special Participation
Joe Bellamy   Assistant Engineer
Roger Nichols   Engineer,Executive Engineer,Digital Remastering
Geoff Westen   Design
Vartan   Reissue Art Director
Al Schmitt   Engineer
Tom Scott   Horn Arrangements,Recording Arranger,Special Participation
Victor Feldman   Special Participation
Gary Katz   Producer
Michael Diehl   Reissue Design
Daniel Levitin   Consultant
Beth Stempel   Reissue Coordination
Barbara Miller   Production Coordination
Ken Klinger   Assistant Engineer
Linda Tyler   Assistant Engineer
Dinky Dawson   Sound Consultant
Ron Pangaliman   Assistant Engineer

Editorial Reviews

Steely Dan hadn't been a real working band since Pretzel Logic, but with Aja, Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's obsession with sonic detail and fascination with composition reached new heights. A coolly textured and immaculately produced collection of sophisticated jazz-rock, Aja has none of the overt cynicism or self-consciously challenging music that distinguished previous Steely Dan records. Instead, it's a measured and textured album, filled with subtle melodies and accomplished, jazzy solos that blend easily into the lush instrumental backdrops. But Aja isn't just about texture, since Becker and Fagen's songs are their most complex and musically rich set of songs -- even the simplest song, the sunny pop of "Peg," has layers of jazzy vocal harmonies. In fact, Steely Dan ignores rock on Aja, preferring to fuse cool jazz, blues, and pop together in a seamless, seductive fashion. It's complex music delivered with ease, and although the duo's preoccupation with clean sound and self-consciously sophisticated arrangements would eventually lead to a dead end, Aja is a shining example of jazz-rock at its finest. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine