ProgJazzFusion. One of my all time favorite bands. Dark humor, mysterious overtones and music from another world. I long to be a musician of that caliber.
As much as I love the Aja album (along with every other Dan fan), I argue that The Royal Scam is their best album. Some of the songs are still a little raw and edgy--by Aja, they were extremely polished, which is great and I love that Steely Dan got to that point, but it's also a sign that a band peaks and they're on a quick downhill slide. Gaucho showed that they were burned out. Most people really only seem to know Kid Charlemagne from this album. I've told many people to listen to the whole album, but if they only have time for one other song, either listen to Don't Take Me Alive if they're into guitar or Green Earrings if they want funk (and can tolerate more keyboards). The rhythm guitarist gets one hell of a workout and worked hard to earn every cent he got (I wonder how much Fagan grinded him and how many takes it took to nail it).
@@s0ld4u There's nothing wrong with any Steely Dan album! It's just that after listening to SD for over 40 years, some albums are easier to listen to than others. Gaucho was the last one I can really listen to and I'm not a great fan of the later Jon Herington era. I far prefer Fagen's solo work to the later SD collaborations.
Yup they are all good. My thoughts are Royal Scam had the best variety of songs and such good lyrics, Gaucho had the most pristine production. Aja sits in the middle with the best elements of both. Pretty sure Aja outsold the others, it had quite a few singles chart.
So cool to hear this "let the tape roll" version. I play keys an serve as a music director for a Steely Dan cover band in KC and we always love to open this one up for the horns to blow on.
GREAT JAM, KUDOS TO HUGH. BEING A PROG ROCK MAN THIS IS A GEM IN ITSELF SHOWING THE LESSER ACKNOWLEDGED IN THE BAND. THESE GUYS ARE LIKE THE PISTONS IN AN ENGINE. JUST BRILLIANT PRECISE TIMING, THANKS FOR THE TREAT.
@analoghalfinch Green Earrings has always been among my fave SD tunes, but let's face it.... the Royal Scam is amazing throughout. This type of rhythm section feel cannot be manufactured/generated using DAW editing techniques. Awesome musicianship!
This is definitely the take they used for the final, trimmed down release on Royal Scam, as I surely recognize Benard Purdie's fantastic drumming. It is nice to hear this "bare" version minus the vocals and lead guitar. What a shame that Donald and Walter did not use this long take on the album, instead trimming it down to about 4 minutes. These guys were surely jamming! Too bad they didn't add a nice sax solo or something during the last unused 3 minutes.
You should have more views than this! This needs to be heard by all Dan fans! It is simply amazing!!!! Mr. Hope TV, you need to put something in the description or add some tags, like "outtakes", "rehearsals", "royal scam sessions", or anything that will grab more Steely Dan freaks like myself.
Tá louco, é quase melhor que a versão oficial... Já era viciado no groove do teclado e da batera, agora tem esse baixo proeminente no mix destruindo...
@MrHopeTelevision Most definitely Purdie. Listen to the drive, distinctive groove and especially the signature hihat action. Psst-psst. This is as good as it gets.
Just found this after wondering if I could find any recordings of Bernard P's brilliant work with the Dan...am just blown away by it. I used to run the vinyl out following BP, Rainey et al into the fade, and how you've given us another 4 mins. How on Earth did you get it ?? Is there any other material (eg 15 min version of Aja ?). Thanks a million for posting.
Wow!..Hell of a groove going on there. Reminds me of "Mister Magic" by the late Grover Washington Jr. at about a 10 minutes long. This is must have been an out take before the vocals were added. That's usually how Steely Dan do their recordings, with the bass and drums then watching their Frankenstein Music monster grow. IIII..... love it.
I’m pretty sure this is the take that made it onto the record!! I can only speak from a drummers perspective but all the fills and grooves are exactly the same as the version on record
Bernard Purdue is one of the great drummers of our time, but anyone who believes the hype about his ability to hold a tempo should listen to the beginning, and then the end, of this clip.
This is very true but not necessarily a bad thing! Early on in my drumming a very experienced bass player told me that a little tempo increase/decrease can sometimes help a song build
Oh man! Love getting to clearly hear Chuck Rainey's funky bass with Purdie's drumming. To me, one reason this works so well without the lead guitar is the Clavinet fills a lot of the role along with what I think is Fender Rhodes fed into echoplex? Please correct me if I'm wrong regarding the keyboards.
GOOD Lord.. Purdie is just Smmmmmookkkkin' on this !! wow.. almost makes ya want to forgive him for all that BS about him appearing on the Beatles records.. I just wonder what SD was gonna do w/ this track.. & why it was cut..aside from our listening pleasure, of course....
@@bingus3671 It was Carlton. Parks is on the record, but not this track. Doesn't matter: this is a lesson in groove, style, conception, execution, and cooperation.
This one of favorite Dan songs. As someone below said, this album was less polished than Aja which I like. I also like that Purdie and Rainey have their best songs on this album. That said, this is the dirtiest sounding of the recordings on the album. Nothing wrong with it but it’s not the normal crystal clear that the Dan is famous for. As a drummer, it’s by far the hardest song to pick out what Purdie is doing. Not to mention I’ve yet to find the drum transcription.
jam head - last half. put them thru th chord swings like hell the first half - which is the song. Donald is a writer first - but he puts in the jam for hours.
Stack of 4ths innit! The main chord the guitar vamps on is frets 7 on the D and G strings and frets 8 on the B and E strings, and lots of moving around on that basic principal
