Steely Dan - Aja

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, All Music Guide

Name Credits Al Schmitt Engineer Barbara Miller Production Coordination Bernard "Pretty" Purdie Drums Bernie Grundman Mastering Beth Stempel Reissue Coordination Bill Perkins Flute, Saxophone, Horn Bill Schnee Engineer Chuck Findley Brass, Horn Chuck Rainey Bass Clydie King Vocals, Vocals (Background) Daniel Levitin Consultant Dean Parks Guitar Denny Dias Guitar Denny Diaz Guitar Dinky Dawson Sound Consultant Don Grolnick Clavinet, Keyboards Donald Fagen Keyboards, Vocals (Background), Vocals, Whistle (Instrument), Synthesizer, Liner Notes Ed Greene Drums Ed Rack Assistant Engineer Elliot Scheiner Engineer Gary Coleman Percussion Gary Katz Producer Geoff Westen Design Irving Azoff ? Jackie Kelso Flute, Saxophone, Horn Jay Graydon Guitar (Electric), Guitar Jim Horn Saxophone, Flute Jim Keltner Drums, Percussion Joe Bellamy Assistant Engineer Joe Sample Keyboards, Clavinet, Piano (Electric) Ken Klinger Assistant Engineer Larry Carlton Guitar (Electric), Guitar Lee Ritenour Guitar Lenise Bent Assistant Engineer Lew McCreary Horn Linda Tyler Assistant Engineer Lou McCreary Brass Michael Diehl Reissue Design Michael McDonald Vocals (Background), Vocals Michael Omartian Piano, Keyboards Paul Griffin Vocals (Background), Keyboards, Piano (Electric), Vocals Paul Humphrey Drums Paul Humphrey & the Cool Aid Chemists Drums Pete Christlieb Flute, Sax (Tenor), Saxophone Plas Johnson Flute, Saxophone Rebecca Louis Vocals (Background), Vocals Richard Hyde Trombone Rick Marotta Drums Roger Nichols Executive Engineer, Engineer, Digital Remastering Ron Pangaliman Assistant Engineer Sherlie Matthews Vocals, Vocals (Background) Slyde Hyde Brass Steve Gadd Drums Steve Khan Guitar Stuart Dinky Dawson Sound Consultant Timothy B. Schmit Vocals (Background), Vocals, Bass Tom Scott Horn Arrangements, Flute, Saxophone, Lyricon, Horn Conductor, Conductor, Sax (Tenor) Vartan Reissue Art Director Venetta Fields Vocals, Vocals (Background) Victor Feldman Vibraphone, Piano (Electric), Percussion, Piano, Keyboards Walter Becker Vocals, Photography, Guitar, Liner Notes, Bass, Guitar (Electric) Wayne Shorter Saxophone, Sax (Tenor), Flute