Grand night out w/ Steely Dan

[martin manning]

Saw these guys last night performing in the 2500-seat Taft Theater. It was a big crowd-pleasing production with Becker and Fagen plus eleven others, including: Jon Herington, who excelled at doing the dirty work on the iconic guitar solos of Randall and Baxter (and much more); the sublime Dan-ettes LaTanya Hall, Carolyn Leonhart-Escoffery, and Cindy Mizelle, who strategically reinforced Fagen's vocals in the upper register (if you catch my drift); and Keith Carlock, who is a fantastic drummer. The sound quality was good, except for too much rumble from the kick drum, which muddied things up a bit and obscured what I'm sure was good bass guitar work on the part of Freddie Washington. Now some amp content: Notice Becker is standing in front of four Dr. Z heads!

[ampgeek]

Very cool!

I have seen Steely Dan three or four times in the last 5 years and have come to believe that Harrington deserves a spot near the top of the most underated guitarists list.

Of course, I will admit that I don't know much about the creativity of his own compositions....but....he sure can play!

Did you happen to notice what amp(s) he was using at this show?

Thanks for sharing,
Dave O.

[martin manning]

Herington had two amps behind him with large white elliptical logos. I couldn't say for sure, but I think they could have been Guytrons, which he has been known to play. Edit: You can see them in the picture above, just to the left of WB.

[xtian]

Harrington kicks arse, no doubt.

Fagen is an heroic beatnick, cranky old man, and an all time favorite. Doesn't he look more and more like Ray Charles?

[Phil_S]

Yes, saw them in update NY last year. It was a feel good all-out performance. How can you not like these guys? I'd go again in a heartbeat. They have (or had) a date in Baltimore this summer, but I had a conflict ;-{ and had to pass. It's too bad, because there wasn't much music passing through here this summer that interested me.

[LeeMo]

Every time I see Becker on stage in front of a different stack of boo-teek amps , I'm reminded that he was the first to coin the term G.A.S ( or gear acquisition syndrome)

LeeMo

[JazzGuitarGimp]

If I'm not mistaken, Herington has also been known to use /13 Amps.

[martin manning]

2011 vintage, but still informative: http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/R ... _Herington Includes a link to a Walter Becker "Rig Rundown."

Apologies for misspelling Herington previously.

[Structo]

I was watching some Steely Dan videos and I caught this one of "Peg".

Looks like Jon Herington is using an Overdrive Special.

Is he known to own one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjmPkfafMyE

[martin manning]

Bludo-Drive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nnt54r0ybc

[Blackburn]

Thanks for sharing Martin! SD is one of my favorites. Nice pic!

[gktamps]

Harrington kicks arse, no doubt.

Fagen is an heroic beatnick, cranky old man, and an all time favorite. Doesn't he look more and more like Ray Charles?

Yes, sort of. Except for one big thing...

Fagen's nose is way bigger than Charles'!

[martin manning]

Thanks Blackburn! Here's another one that I think captures DF pretty well. He seems to channel Ray Charles a bit in his movements while playing too. Not bad for a hand-held phone pic, eh?

[Blackburn]

Thanks Blackburn! Here's another one that I think captures DF pretty well. He seems to channel Ray Charles a bit in his movements while playing too. Not bad for a hand-held phone pic, eh?

I'd say so! He really does look like a white Ray!

So glad to see them still jamming.

[da Geezer]

Thanks Blackburn! Here's another one that I think captures DF pretty well. He seems to channel Ray Charles a bit in his movements while playing too. Not bad for a hand-held phone pic, eh?

I'd say so! He really does look like a white Ray!

So glad to see them still jamming.

Zombie Ray!

I was just listening to all the old SD stuff the other day.....great songs, from the lyrics to the grooves, simply perfect.