It was the winter of 1981 when my best friend and Long Island University classmate Jerry Rodriguez introduced me to the Steely Dan album Aja (ABC Records, 1977). Though I remember hearing the single “Peg” in 1977 blaring on WABC that fall, I really hadn’t paid much attention to the group. Yet, Jerry, as well as his older brother Antonio, talked endlessly about the group’s jazzy influences and beat writer influenced lyrics. In addition, it was the best chill-out soundtrack of that pop period.
One winter afternoon, our math professor, a young grad student name Mr. Harris overheard Jerry saying he wanted to sell his weights and offered to buy them. Though less than ten years older than us, we still had a “teacherly” respect for him. Yet, the night he came by the Cortelyou Road bachelor pad, our relationship changed.
This was the very first album I bought when I joined The Columbia Record Club. Cost me 1/9th of a dollar!
What a great album, though. Real musicianship.
I remember reading an interview with Walter Becker and he was asked why he didn't play the solos on Steely Dan's albums. He said he could write the solos but he didn't think he had the right amount of feel or soul in his fingers when they were played.
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I won't recount the tale of Dennis Chambers, the Bee and the shoe 
