steely dan .

[FuseU1]

Yes, THX Klemme! [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/rose.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/beer.gif[/img]

[mja61]

Yeah, thanks for posting these, Klemme....very nice of you!! I am a HUGE Steely Dan fan.

I agree with benrand...those are two of my favorite tunes (well...I just think "Royal Scam" as an album is a masterpiece.)

Regarding Keith...I've heard a lot of good things about him, but I was having trouble digging his playing. After hearing him on these cuts, I have a few more thoughts:

On the plus side:

- He's got a nice drum sound...very full, deep, fat...perfect for Steely Dan tunes.

- He's got a relaxed feel.

On the disappointment side:

- Is it me, or does he slow down on all the tunes?!?!?! It's one thing to lay back in the pocket, but slowing down really takes something away. That's one thing that made Gadd so great...he kept a deep pocket, but with very little variation in the tempo.

- He didn't quite play some of the classic Steely Dan fills "right" (e.g. on "FM" and "Black Cow"). I know that many feel there is no "right" or "wrong" in an artistic situation, but there are some fills on the original records that fit the tune perfectly and became part of the song. You don't have to play them perfectly note-for-note, but you have to do justice to the original, otherwise to you detract from the tune (all IMHO, of course).

If I had to play that short drum break in the middle of "Vehicle" (Ides of March), I might spice it up a little or play it on different drums, but I would absolutely keep the shape of the original fill in tact. I mean...it's part of the song, for Pete's sake!!!

As long as we're on the topic, I was of fan of Ricky Lawson's playing on the YellowJackets stuff and the Anita Baker stuff, but he swung so stiff with Steely I would have bet he was sitting on a tack the whole time. Even some non-drummer/non-musician friends of mine who dig Steely Dan made the observation. He also "missed" some key fills and drum parts.

Certain bands and certain music really loses something when the parts are not true to the original. Steely Dan is one for example; Chicago is another...

All that said, Keith has played with Steely and Sting; Ricky has played with the YellowJackets, Michael Jackson, and Anita Baker...something I can't put on my resume. [img]redface.gif[/img]

[FuseU1]

Well said. [img]cool.gif[/img]

[royerin]

Agreed about Royal Scam, that's a killer album. Katy Lied is a definite fave of mine too.

Thanks a lot for posting these Klemme!

I think Keith sounds great.

[img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

[Shawn40]

Hey Guys,

Black Cow with Ricky Lawson on drums.
If you talk about pocket...

http://s4.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=CD...2B094B360A7C3E

Peace.

[Randy walker]

I did not like Ricky or Dennis in the Steely drum chair, my all time fav live in that band was Peter Erskine, he just IMO captured the vibe/groove/swing nuances of the tunes.

[Shawn40]

Hi Guys,

I heard Peter with Steely Dan just on the Alive In America, 2 songs I think...
He does it very well, like say Donald, perfect.

Chambers play great, like only him can, but his sound for this music disturbing me, same thing for Ricky...
In my opinion they should adapt their sound to the music played...
In the same time they are surely hired because they are like they are so in Walter and Donald we trust...

I would like to see Steve Jordan with Steely Dan, it would be awesome.

Anyway...

[benrand]

It takes a mellow kind of drummer to play this music.

And even if Keith drags a bit, it still fits the music.

I've said before, he's got a very Marotta-ish groove and Marotta played WAAAAAAAAAYYYYY behind the beat.

[FuseU1]

"Sort of, kind of, a 'Porcaro feel' to it...er, Marotta, that is...sorta, kinda, that is..." [img]wink.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]cool.gif[/img]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ October 20, 2004 05:33 PM: Message edited by: FuseU1 ]</font>

[Timbata]

how about posting a few more tunes.....
Thanks!