Customer Reviews

The Cell

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

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!

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.

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.

Not since Woody Herman's 1978 LP, "Chick, Donald, Walter & Woodrow",which featured five Steely Dan covers, have I heard such a loving respect paid to the incredible writing talents of Becker and Fagan.The sound of Justin Morell's quintet reminds me of other keybordless groups like those lead by Jim Hall or Chico Hamilton. There is that intamacy but they also wail. Those of you trying to sell your copy of Garden Party's "no static at all" take heed. The last disc that came close to sucessfully doing an homage to SD was the "Me, Myself & Irene" soundtrack.

Faithful, intelligent renderings of Steely Dan songs, mostly from "Aja" and "Gaucho," with a few bonus items, "Maxine" from Fagen's 80's masterwork "The Nightfly," and a new composition written by Morell's quintet as a tribute based on the song "Kings" from another Dan gem, early 70's "Can't Buy A Thrill." Especially appreciated by the reviewer was the addition of "The Royal Scam," an often-overlooked song from a very under-appreciated album.
"The Music Of Steely Dan," is for horn lovers, (saxophone and trumpet), or guitar lovers, mainly because of the absence of any keyboards on the album. The beautiful, subdued Justin Morell guitar work, especially on "Home At Last," with a clean Metheneyesque trio tone sound makes for an especially enriching addition.
Deliberately avoiding radio hits from Dan's later 80's career and keeping the album to a brisk 53:24 running time consisting of eight fully-explored tunes, Morell's quintet keeps solid to the Steely Dan formula.
Released one month to the day short of the two-year anniversary, leap-year day of 2000's release of the excruciatingly long-awaited classic, Grammy-Award winning, "Two Against Nature," the "Music Of Steely Dan", (amazingly recorded over just a two day period), is a welcomed and cherished addition to the Dan legacy. Thanks guys!

Since I couldn't find this CD anywhere, and Amazon has supplied no samples,(see below) I finally decided after months to take a chance on it and just buy it and I'm glad I did.

For as long as there has been Jazz, artists have played their own take off on standards. They are always on safer ground improvising on a song that listeners know than writing thier own music. But it seems lately the list of standards has become overused. So there's plenty of quality pop and rock out there to make new standards from (Beatles, Stones, Doors, etc) and what better source than Steely Dan. In the 70's & 80's Steely Dan approached fusion from the rock side, and turned out much better music than when some Jazz players, who will remain nameless, tried from the Jazz side.

So how does it sound? The lead guitar here, Justin Morrell, stays often stays close to Walter Becker's guitar lines in Steely Dan, the other guys go farther afield. Overall the CD is quite satisfying. So songs cleave close to the Steely Dan original (My Rival), in others (I Got The News) there is more invention. Similar tempos, mostly, to Steely Dan. I particularly like the warmth of Home at Last, My Rival, and Babylon Sisters. Morell and company get a little carries away with The Royal Scam, but I think those who like Cool(er) Jazz and those who like Steely Dan should all seek this CD out. Only available here, as far as I know.

Bravo! good direction, I would like to see other Jazz artists follow this path.

Recommended. Under my tough grading system 4 stars for performance, 4 stars for recording, 1 star for lack of availablity & samples.

I'd like to buy this but I would like to hear some 30 second samples first! Unavailable from other vendors.

I am not a fan of the type of traditional old school jazz that Mr. Morell and company play, and really was not impressed with the jr high stage band amatuerish sound demonstrated on all tracks. These covers are not worthy of the originals, and I am curious why this got so many positive reviews. I would not reccomend this to anyone, frankly.