The Cell

Myron V. Cotton (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 29, 2002)
• Original Release Date: January 29, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Vision Music/Promotion
• ASIN: B000060NVY
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #486,520 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Hone at Last

2. My Rival

3. I Got the News

4. Third World Man

5. The Royal Scam

6. Maxine

7. End of the Line

8. Babylon Sisters

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A breath of fresh air!, April 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Cell (Audio CD)

The word prolific is not a word to be associated with Steely Dan. That being said, I'll take any release that comes from anywhere regarding my favorite group, SD. Be it a 'Best of' or a 'Tribute', I'll buy it. So when I spotted this gem online I grabbed it like my life depended on it. This CD goes so much farther than Garden Party's medicore "tribute".This is REAL JAZZ played with emotion and verve. Carefully covering these classics is no small feat and TJMQ paints these portraits brillantly without straying too far off the beaten track.Highly recommended from a Steely Dan Head. If you're a fan you must buy this!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rebirth of The Cool, March 20, 2002

By 

Mr Michael J Sophocles (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cell (Audio CD)

This disc is a real breath of fresh air because recently I suffered the disappointment of listening to Garden Party's "No Static At All" (misguided instrumental tribute to Steely Dan) for the first (and only) time.

This CD is everything "No Static At All" isn't: this superb ensemble brings intelligence, imagination and a sense of adventure to the music and these musicians obviously share Steely Dan's enthusiasm for sophisticated harmony.

There are discernible echoes on this album of the same jazz music of the 1950s and 1960s which influenced Steely Dan themselves. In the tradition of all good jazz music this album features fresh and imaginative takes on the original tunes and some free-wheeling improvisation.

It is surprising that the great drummer John Guerin never made any Steely Dan sessions in the 1970s (so far as I'm aware) which makes it all the more pleasing to hear him on this album.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Jazz!!, March 13, 2002

By 

JohnL "jomin44" (Alexander, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Cell (Audio CD)

A "Smooth Jazz" CD this is NOT. What this IS: Pure Jazz. I have been a big Steely Dan fan since their first album back in the early 70's, "Can't Buy a Thrill" (my age is 43). My brother would play their 2nd album "Countdown to Ectasy" over and over, as we shared a room growing up. Steely Dan grew on me until they became my all-time favorite band. Of course, their jazz influences are well-documented as well as the different jazz elements contained in many of their songs over the years. I am not a jazz expert by any means, but I do know this release by the Justin Morell Quintet is for real. This is definately not watered-down "smooth" nor "elevator music". The CD starts with "Home at Last". In typical jazz fashion, the theme is played by the band, and then Tom Peterson (sax), John Daversa (trumpet), and Justin himself (guitar) do nice solos, with the theme returning to close out. "My Rival" is next, done nicely. "I Got the News" is next, and the band jams on this uptempo tune. All of the songs are done very well, with some nice arrangements that one would expect for this type of music. Of course, "Maxine", originally on Donald Fagen's first solo album "The Nightfly", is technically not a Steely Dan song, but anyone who loves Steely Dan knows otherwise. Besides, "The Nightfly" has much jazz influence, even the title track is Fagen himself spinning jazz tunes on the fictional radio station WJAZ. And, as Justin Morell himself comments: "...it's such a beautiful piece we felt it needed to be part of this project". I agree that it was an excellent choice. John Daversa plays a wonderfully breathy trumpet accompanied by Morell's mellow guitar. Only true Dan fans will recognize the main tune in "The Royal Scam", as this is the only "original" part of the tune that one can hear. But that's alright, because the uptempo arrangement, taken much faster than the Dan version, really jams! All-and-all, this is an enjoyable and welcome release in my opinion. I think that Donald and Walter would think so as well.