Track Listing

1. Black Cow - Chuck Rainey, Gary Katz, Steely Dan, Tom Scott, Victor Feldman
2. Aja - Chuck Rainey, Gary Katz, Steely Dan, Steve Gadd, Tom Scott, Victor Feldman, Wayne Shorter
3. Deacon Blues - Gary Katz, Steely Dan, Tom Scott, Victor Feldman, Lee Ritenour
4. Peg - Gary Katz, Steely Dan, Chuck Rainey, Tom Scott, Victor Feldman
5. Home At Last - Chuck Rainey, Gary Katz, Steely Dan, Tom Scott, Victor Feldman
6. I Got The News - Chuck Rainey, Gary Katz, Steely Dan, Tom Scott, Victor Feldman
7. Josie - Gary Katz, Steely Dan, Tom Scott, Roger Nichols, Elliot Scheiner, Bill Schnee, Al Schmitt, Victor Feldman, Chuck Rainey, Jim Keltner, Larry Carlton, Dean Parks, Walter Becker, Donald Fagen, Tim Schmidt

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3382 in Music
• Released on: 2000-04-24
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Running time: 40 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
History gives Steely Dan's Walter Becker and Donald Fagen the last, hearty laugh on this, the crown jewel in their remarkable canon of 1970s Mensa-pop. Sneaking onto the charts a half-decade earlier with sinuous, jazz-inflected "rock", the dysfunctional duo's acerbic, anti-heroic visions had been critically lauded for their band identity and killer guitar riffs, then promptly challenged when the two songwriters retired from the road, dissolved any formal band lineup, and used the studio as laboratory. Aja carried the added indignity of its increased focus on sophisticated jazz models and musicianship, which carried the Dan's ambitions even further in terms of suave harmonies, intricate song structures, and brilliant playing. Time has proven them wiser than their rock crit detractors: These seven songs abound in knotty plots, sneaky imagery, and drop-dead brilliant performances from a blue chip studio repertory studded with first-call jazz players epitomised by Wayne Shorter's towering solo on the title song. From the hard-boiled jazz romance of "Deacon Blues" to the twisted Homeric vamp of "Home at Last", the veiled but ominous swing of "Peg" to the sci-fi eroticism of "Josie", Aja is a modern pop classic and the coolest fusion record no one ever thought to lump in that category. --Sam Sutherland

CD Description
This represents the pinnacle of Steely Dan's gradual transition from rock band to their own brand of jazz-influenced white soul. Guitars were replaced by keyboards, and saxophonesbecame more common. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen were only interested in spending time in the recording studios, while the fans pined and waited. The result set new standards inrecorded excellence, and is regularly used as a hi-fi shop demonstration. The ambitious title track was deemed too difficult for radio play and only the two overtly accessible tracks `Josie' and `Peg', gave them valuable exposure.

Customer Reviews

Simply the Best
I can remember sitting a car in 1977 when the song 'Deacon Blues' came on the radio. I was instantly mesmerised. Having never heard Steely Dan before I was amazed by the quality and feel of both the song and the recording. I immediately went out and bought the 'LP'. It was this that started my love of the music of Messers Becker and Fagen.

If you are considering your first SD purchase... THIS IS THE ONE TO GET. Don't muck around with those compilations that. Steely Dan albums must be listened to in their original context.

It is solid testament to Aja that it hit the streets slap bang in the middle of the 'Punk' era, a musical movement that was championed by the 'New Musical Expresss', yet, in their review the NME hailed Aja as one of the all time great albums with possibly the greatest 'side 1' of any album ever released. (Remember 'side ones'?)

Side one actually comprised of three musical masterpieces; Black Cow, Aja and Deacon Blues and even now, 25 odd years later I am hearing new things in these songs, especially on the newly remastered release. Side 2 isn't bad either. Peg, Home at Last, I've got the News and Josie are all fantastic offerings.

As well as the superb songwriting and mind blowing lyrics watch out for virtuoso performances from the likes of Wayne Shorter, Steve Gadd, Chuck Rainey and Larry Carlton as well as the amazing vocals of Fagen and the backing vocals (including Mike McDonald). The slick production of Gary Katz tops it all off.

"This is the day of the expanding man, that shape is my shade, there where I used to stand"...classic!

An absolute masterpiece.

Scintillating, Smooth,Sparkling and so so cool
If you were not around in the 70's and have heard that Steely Dan are worth discovering you could do no wrong in buying this beautifully crafted piece of work that features some of the slickest US session guys around. I recall this album being used as a hi fi show piece when it came out and it still stands out as a fine recording - tastefully remastered by the duo themselves in recent times. If you want to hear a little bit of jazz sneaking into your music this is a great introduction. The stand out tracks are the title track and Black Cow. Steve Gadds famous drum fade out at the end of Aja being one of the high points of the bands career. The album closes with Josie which is cool beyond cool. If you are wondering about Steely Dan, start with this and then buy all the albums - they are all gems. Aja does not quite have that lyrical streetwise savy found on Katy Lied and Countdown to Ectasy, but it marks a high point in the Steely Dan collection as a work of outstanding musical genius and a showcase for the talent of those reluctant maestro's Messrs Fagen & Becker.

The way this should sound at last yippee!!
The music contained on this album does not fit in any neat and tidy box.
What can you say about it? is it jazz, is it pop? is it music? in one word "YES" it's all of this and more. "The men from dan" used some of the best session men in music business to record this, rehearsing and playing these guys within an inch of their lives! It shows for contained of this album not only is music but audio art.
Of course Becker and Fagan did all the remastering themselves and what great job they have done, they are such control freaks, who can blame with music of this standard. For all you Dan freaks out there who didn't buy the first C.D. release because of poor sound forget that buy this vesion with confidence, it is WOW!! in terms of sound and content