Royal Dan: A Tribute to Genius of Steely Dan

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 9, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Tone Center
• ASIN: B000F6ZP90
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #33,922 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. PEG

2. BODHISATTVA

3. HOME AT LAST

4. AJA

5. PRETZEL LOGIC

6. JOSIE

7. DIRTY WORK

8. THE FEZ

9. FM

10. HEY NINETEEN

Editorial Reviews

"The Royal Dan" features some of the greatest names in progressive jazz/fusion guitar, each paying tribute to rock/jazz legends Steely Dan, pioneers of progressive pop music. These ten incredible guitarists have come together to lift up their guitars as their voices in celebration of this important music.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nitpicky, Nitpicky, Nitpicky!!!, October 8, 2008

By 

BatznDaBelfry "apreshateit" (Bakersfield, Ca. United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Royal Dan: A Tribute to Genius of Steely Dan (Audio CD)

Reviews like some of the others provide some of the best evidence of why instrumental music is dying in this society and being supplanted by an army of "American Idol"-type drones. This album wasn't designed to please Donald and Walter (quite frankly, I've heard that's almost impossible!). It was created to present these tunes in a different musical landscape by people who admire their writing and emphasis on guitar. Don't confuse a different slant with being contrived. Buy Steely Dan records if you only want one flavor. If you REALLY love these tunes so much, appreciate the fact that some of the greatest players in the world do too and don't compare them to the originals.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars a pale echo, June 30, 2006

By 

Michael J Edelman (Huntington Woods, MI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Royal Dan: A Tribute to Genius of Steely Dan (Audio CD)

Take some of the greatest, harmonically sophisticated pop music of the twentieth century, and add a handful of the best jazz/funk guitarists around,a nd what do you get?

Well, not much, really. Becker and Fagen's carefully crafted songs had just enough guitar or sax solo in each to compliment the body of the song; they knew that it's the right mix of lyrics with a catchy melodic hook that really makes a great song.

What we have hear is a band vamping on the changes along with solos that really aren't anything special, and in most cases fall far short of the brief and intense solos that accompnaied the originals. Certainly Steve Morse' attempt at "Bodhisattiva" doesn't come close to the intensity found in the Denny Dias original, and even where the same guitarist who played on the original track is playing, it's just not as interesting as the original.

Tribute albums seldom live up to the originals, and the more distinctive the original, the harder it is to improve on it.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ho hum., July 22, 2006

By 

Georgia Guitarist "Chuck" (Marietta, GA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Royal Dan: A Tribute to Genius of Steely Dan (Audio CD)

This is, I believe, the fourth guitar-centric tribute album produced by Jeff Richman for the Tone Center label, and it is by far the least interesting. Perhaps that's because this is the only one of the four that pays tribute to a vocal group.

Whatever the reason, the arrangements aren't interesting nor do these versions add new dimensions to the original versions. Further, to me, the guitar solos just don't sound inspired.

In summary, there's nothing wrong with this set of music, but there's nothing particularly interesting about it, either. There's not one song or guitar solo that grabs my attention. It might make great party background music, though. No conversations will be interrupted with the "Wow! Who's that?" question.

Editorial detour: In the order that I enjoy them, the other Tone Center tributes are as follows - (1) the John Coltrane tribute, A Guitar Supreme [5 stars], (2) the Miles Davis tribute [4-1/2 stars] and (3) the John McLaughlin tribute, Visions of the Inner Mounting Apocalypse [4 stars]. Each of these does contain several "Wow! Who's that?" moments.