Luke + Steely Dan + Vintage Guitar Mag

[AVH]

I'm reading the VG mag and there's an article about Mike Varney's Schrapnel label putting out a Steely Dan tribute album (Royal Dan)...with many guitar greats including Luke.

There's a point about what gear was used and it was said Luke used his EBMM Luke thru a tiny (probably solid state) Marshall his kid has with built in effects.

I don't how much of that is correct, but has anyone heard this cut Luke plays on (Bodhisattva I think) or this album? Care to comment on the sound Luke gets? Still probably amazing if it was a battery operated mico-mini Marshall!

 

[jongitarz]

I would love to hear that! I loves me some Steely Dan, and Luke!

 

[kbaim]

I think there was a thread about this a few months ago. try a search.

Luke has said in interviews how he really wanted to play on some Dan records, but never did. I'd love to see him do that or possibly tour with them but now that Walter does all that noodling, probably will never happen.

 

[Lucidology]

Here's the Royal Dan line up.. I think you'll all agree that you can't get many better players on one CD together... plus it's Steely Dan tunes.. it just doesn't get any better then this (IMHO)

06:35 Robben Ford "Peg"

04:33 Steve Morse "Bodhisattva"

06:08 Jay Graydon "Home At Last"

07:20 Al DiMeola "Aja"

06:04 Steve Lukather "Pretzel Logic"

06:14 Jeff Richman "Josie"

05:34 Mike Stern "Dirty Work"

05:11 Jimmy Herring "The Fez"

05:56 Frank Gambale "FM"

04:49 Elliott Randall "Hey Nineteen


Sound bits & ordering here:

http://www.guitar9.com/atributerd.html

 

[robelinda2]

wow gotta get me that cd!!!!!!!!!

 

[roburado]

Here's the Royal Dan line up.. I think you'll all agree that you can't get many better players on one CD together... plus it's Steely Dan tunes.. it just doesn't get any better then this (IMHO)

06:35 Robben Ford "Peg"

04:33 Steve Morse "Bodhisattva"

06:08 Jay Graydon "Home At Last"

07:20 Al DiMeola "Aja"

06:04 Steve Lukather "Pretzel Logic"

06:14 Jeff Richman "Josie"

05:34 Mike Stern "Dirty Work"

05:11 Jimmy Herring "The Fez"

05:56 Frank Gambale "FM"

04:49 Elliott Randall "Hey Nineteen


Sound bits & ordering here:

http://www.guitar9.com/atributerd.html

Elliott Randall to play on Steely Dan tribute CD? Isn't that a little bit like getting John Petrucci to do the guitar solos on a Dream Theater tribute CD?

 

[Lucidology]

Elliott Randall to play on Steely Dan tribute CD? Isn't that a little bit like getting John Petrucci to do the guitar solos on a Dream Theater tribute CD?

That's funny... I have to admit that it sort of crossed my mind

 

[kbaim]

I'm gettting it. Must've been interesting choosing the tunes. Songs like Babylon Sisters, Kid Charlemagne, Reeling didn't make the cut, and nothing from Two against Nature.

 

[RobW]

Elliott Randall to play on Steely Dan tribute CD? Isn't that a little bit like getting John Petrucci to do the guitar solos on a Dream Theater tribute CD?

You could count Jay Graydon in on that too. (He did the solo for 'Peg', which is, IMO perhaps one of the single greatest guitar solos ever recorded.)

Anyhow, I have this album. Luke's version of 'Pretzel Logic' does rock. Some real nice playing and real nice tone. Funny, I guess I'm not surprised to hear it was done on a small amp. That's been a pretty common studio/recording trick over the years that really makes your ears think it's a frickin Marshall stack all cranked up. Fooled me anyway. Sounds awesome. Now that I know that, it definitely does have the small amp sound (listening now)

At this point it's probably in a tie for my favorite cut, along with Steve Morse's "Bodhisattva". I love Jimmy Herring's playing too. I would love to hear his version of 'Kid Charlemagne' (mentioned in the review at the bottom). There's good playing all over this album though....

And speaking of 'Peg', Robben Ford's version of this tune is arranged in a different way--more of a bluesy feel. ('Josie' and 'Aja' are arranged differently too)

Here's a couple of reviews that will explain it all:

This one from: http://www.stevelukather.net/Session.aspx?id=352 talks about the song arrangements a bit:

Guitarist Jeff Richman has been on a roll lately with a series of guitar tributes to Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. But when he decided to tackle Steely Dan, in some ways he was faced with his most difficult challenge yet. How do you reshape such meticulously crafted songs into vehicles for some of fusion’s finest guitarists, saying something new while still retaining the signatures that have placed so many of Dan’s tunes into the lexicon of an audience whose interests extend far beyond fusion? How, indeed, do you improve on perfection?

The fact is that Richman knows just when to rework a tune—sometimes turning it inside out, as he does on Aja where the solo section becomes the intro, and the familiar theme doesn’t show up until nearly two minutes in and is rearranged into 7/4. He also knows when to leave well enough alone, as he does on a more faithful take on The Fez.

Richman knows how to shape the material to the strengths of the specific guitarists he’s recruited for this project. While all the signature hooks remain, Richman morphs Peg into a Bo Diddley rhythm that’s a perfect match for Robben Ford’s bluesy swagger. He turns the heat up on the blues-based Pretzel logic letting Steve Lukather’s powerful playing go farther than Becker and Fagen ever would.

This one from: http://richmurray.typepad.com/rich_murray/2006/05/review_the_roya.html sums it up pretty well:

There are some really great performances here. Steve Lukather is awesome on 'Pretzel Logic'. His style fits perfectly with the tune. His solo is a mixture of hip lines, and those wild, unhinged 'Luke' explosions we all know and love. The result is a tune that is heavier than the original, and very cool. Another perfect match is Jimmy Herring on 'The Fez'. The arrangement sounds pretty faithful to the original, and Herring plays some real cool lines over the changes. Herring's one of those guys who's touch and harmonic sensibility make him a great fit for Steely Dan material. You can easily imagine him as one of the stable of guitar greats playing on the original albums. (For further evidence of this, check out some live Dragonflys shows where Herring tears it up on 'Kid Charlemagne').

Another favorite for me is 'Bodhisattva' featuring Steve Morse. This is another example where the guitarist really fits the song. Morse's bluesy phrasing and tumbling lines really work here. The most interesting arrangement/performance may be 'Aja' with Al DiMeola. The song sounds radically different from the original. It's turned into more of a jazz piece. DiMeola plays a great solo on nylon string guitar.

And I tell you what, if you like this album you would love Jeff Richman's tribute album to John Coltrane as well: "A Guitar Supreme -Giant Steps In Fusion Guitar".

For one thing, Lukather's version of 'Crescent' is waaay cool. Some absolutely phenomenal playing. A must for any guitar player/fan really, Luke fan or not.

Some of the same guys are also on this album: Luke, Mike Stern, Gambale, Robben Ford.

Eric Johnson does a nice version of 'Resolution'.
Greg Howe probably steals the show here I think though with his two songs:

'Giant Steps', and 'Mr Syms'. (particularly 'Giant Steps'...)

Anyway, sorry for the rambling. I recommend both albums!!! There's alot of guitar goodness happening there.

 

[Lucidology]

Thanks Rob... just love reading about these guys.. and love these tribute, all instrumental albums that are coming out..

Another good CD to get is the guitar tribute Fusion to Miles Davis... with some of the very same guys on it... but also includes Eric Johnson, Warren Hayes, Steve Kimmock, Pat Martino & Bireli Lagrene...

by the way there's only four Royal Dan albums left at Guitar 9... since I just ordered one

 

[Steve Dude Barr]

You could count Jay Graydon in on that too. (He did the solo for 'Peg', which is, IMO perhaps one of the single greatest guitar solos ever recorded.)

Interesting video about the making of "Peg" here and that guitar solo:

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH0JpBzi68E&search=peg"]YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.[/nomedia]

I love the part where Chuck Rainey tells how he "hid" behind a partition so Walter wouldn't see him slapping his bass.

 

[fsmith]

Dude,
Thanks for the link, very cool stuff. I love watching stuff like that where they analyze all the details.

Anyone know where that came from? I'd love to see more.

edit: duh! Found it... I just had to read the comments under the video.


Classic Albums - Steely Dan: Aja (2000)
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/6305772649/104-2610339-5959163?v=glance&n=130"]Amazon.com: Classic Albums: Steely Dan - Aja: Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, Alan Lewens: Movies & TV[/ame]



fred

 

[robelinda2]

great video, love the dan!!!!

 

[Big Poppa]

Its funny I was talking to Jay last night and he told me about the Royal Dan record and dwe talked gear and he said "You wont believe this but I didnt use an amp, I used one of those Vox Valvestations! Jay Graydon owned the scene throught out the late 70's and early eighties. He had a very sucessfull run as songwiter (turn your love around, After the love is gone, etc which luke also co wrote) and producer and arranger. He refered all of his sessions to a 18 year old named Steve Lukather. Jay has used our strings forever and Jay Luke and I have stories that we only tell when the levels are right.

 

[robelinda2]

way cool BP!

 

[pauldogx]

I found the review in VG to be pretty bogus. I had that CD for well over a month and I find it interesting the only 2 guys he bags on are Luke and Morse-----(80's rock? gimme a break)---a bias before listening to the CD methinks.

 

[kbaim]

Thanks to new poster ROBW for that great info!

Now I have to get that GUITAR SUPREME cd too.

And btw, Steely Dan is touring quite a few dates this summer. This is a fantastic band to see live. You got the horn section, the female back singers, and some of the most beautiful songs ever written scuplted to perfection...except for walters becker's noodling which doesn't impact the way the other guitarists they've had always did. (imo)

 

[Big Poppa]

I had a friend that told me that MOrse plays too fast. I responded "that's because you can't" He said "Damnit!, you're right!"

 

[robelinda2]

everytime i hear morse play fast its done with impeccable taste. same for luke

 

[kbaim]

I had a friend that told me that MOrse plays too fast. I responded "that's because you can't" He said "Damnit!, you're right!"

was it tommyinDeleware?