Classic Albums - Steely Dan: Aja

Starring:Gary J. Katz, Walter Becker, Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald, Ian Dury
Director: Alan Lewens
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
This profile of Steely Dan's elegant 1977 masterpiece, Aja, is a feast for Dan fans, a thoughtful, satisfyingly detailed assessment of the album and its bejeweled fusion of jazz, R&B, rock, and pop. Better yet, the documentary's producers elicit atypically straightforward, revealing interviews from the group's stealthy principals, songwriters Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, who jettison enough of their signature sarcasm to touch on the autobiographical threads, cultural anomie, and serious musical ambition audible in their work. In that respect, the production rivals any extant interviews with this proudly cerebral, occasionally evasive musical team.

The duo, along with producer Gary Katz, engineer Roger Nichols, and a generous cross-section of the crack New York and Los Angeles musicians featured on the sessions, dissect the sleek layers of the songs both musically and lyrically, both in modern performances featuring the original players and in control-room playbacks of the original multitrack master tapes. Becker and Fagen prove articulate, self-aware, and dryly funny subjects, and the subtlety and richness of the music offer an ample canvas for discovery. --Sam Sutherland

Amazon.com

This profile of Steely Dan's elegant 1977 masterpiece, Aja, is a feast for Dan fans, a thoughtful, satisfyingly detailed assessment of the album and its bejeweled fusion of jazz, R&B, rock, and pop. Better yet, the documentary's producers elicit atypically straightforward, revealing interviews from the group's stealthy principals, songwriters Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, who jettison enough of their signature sarcasm to touch on the autobiographical threads, cultural anomie, and serious musical ambition audible in their work. In that respect, the production rivals any extant interviews with this proudly cerebral, occasionally evasive musical team.

Description

A vivid portrait of a '70s record that is still as fresh and memorable today as when it was released more than two decades ago. Pioneering pop/jazz band Steely Dan, formed by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker in the early seventies, had already secured five Top 40 albums before the release of Aja in 1977. Aja, however, was to prove to be the biggest selling album of Steely Dan's illustrious career, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard chart and spending a year in the Top 40. Becker and Fagen, renowned for their relentless perfectionism in the recording studio, recall the history of an album that was a year in the making, but rewarded with a Grammy Award and three hit singles. Steely Dan's Aja has proven to be one of the most outstanding jazz-rock albums in the history of popular music and now its story is told in this fascinating documentary. 60 minutes.

Customer Reviews:

An education in the making.......2007-07-06

This is a marvellous DVD on the making of Steely Dans great album Aja. All of Walter Becker and Donald Fagans legendary perfectionism is on display.
Fortunately for us all the tapes of their sessions were saved, so we are able to hear some of the fabulous guitar solos they rejected for Peg; but then when you re-hear the original you understand why. There are interviews with many guest musicians: Jazz Tenor great Wayne Shorter.
Drummer Bernard Purdie who demonstrates his uniquely funky drumming style.
Michael McDonald talks about some the fiendishly difficult backing vocals he multi-tracked with himself.

This is an essential purchase for the Dan fan or for anybody generally interested in the music making process by two of the most fascinating musicians in the business.

Major omission - what about Gadd ???.......2007-03-22

I have just watched this DVD for the second time. My recent viewing reminded me of the glaringly obvious omission of Steve Gadd. The title track has been cited as one of the greatest recorded drum performances in history. Hearing Steve, Donald and Walter discuss his performance on Aja was my primary motivation for purchasing the DVD. Very disappointing indeed.

Awesome.......2006-08-15

If you're a Steely Dan fan, you'll love this. If you're a Steely Dan fan AND a musician you will REALLy love this. Very well put-together DVD. A rare glimpse into the personalities and musicianship of Walter and Donald.

For the Serious Dan Fan or recording musician.......2006-08-05

The DVD reveals some interesting alternate guitar tracks, snippets of the studio musicians and a few thoughts from Fagan & Becker. Recording techniques are not discussed, more about the thought processes in assembling and choosing the final Aja mix.
If you want more Dan music in a concert setting, the Two Against Nature DVD is excellent.

This is not a concert DVD.......2006-04-10

This is a documentary. People talk over the music.

If you are looking for the ultimate Steely Dan concert DVD, order "Two Against Nature."

Classic Albums: Steely Dan - Aja [Region 2]

Average customer rating:

An education in the making
Major omission - what about Gadd ???
Awesome
For the Serious Dan Fan or recording musician
This is not a concert DVD

Classic Albums: Steely Dan - Aja [Region 2]
Starring: Gary J. Katz , Walter Becker , Donald Fagen , Michael McDonald , and Ian Dury
Director: Alan Lewens
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Documentary | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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