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'The Nightfly' Basslines


lowdown
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Will Lee posted the below video on his Facebook page. Bassist Paul Thompson,  looking at the players and their Basslines on Donald Fagen's 'The Nightfly' album.

Paul Thompson has also put up transcriptions for the selected examples he analysed.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1xmLx4nDuhoAK1317GLWXFvm-aF-OcK-C

 

Enjoy..!!

 

 

 

 

Edited by lowdown
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  • 2 weeks later...

IMHO it is a great video with the background and some history. Although I like the musicians I have a hard time liking the album because the pristine digital recording sounds flat and dull to me - although this is a not uncommon recording style for the Dan (Gaucho, to a degree, and Two Against Nature suffer from this). The other thing that puts me off a bit is some of the stiff performances - although Anthony Jackson is in my top 5 bass players the vid had it right by saying that performances were robotic, both of his tracks are very accurate and precise without doing anything for me (also muddled with doubled keyboard bass). 
Chuck Rainey and Marcus Miller  - on Green Flower St and Maxine respectively are the high points. Walk Between The Raindrops is ruined by too much overdubbing (awful kbd bass line doubling the bass) only rescued by Larry Carlton and Greg Phillinganes’ excellent and very musician parts. Overall it feels like there is a great album hidden in there that never really fulfilled its promise.

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2 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

Moving an album forward, anyone here remember that a clutch of tracks from Kamakiriad were released (mainly as b-sides) with just the drums, bass and vocals?

I have heard the backing track from Snowbound, with Walter playing a very nice bass line. I think it's on YouTube.

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Kamakiriad was the album I remember most from childhood. I had a Sony SUPER BASS walkman and used to listen to it a lot, I have a very string memory of reading a comic in bed whilst listening to 'On The Dunes'

Would love to hear more about that album...

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2 hours ago, KevB said:

I remember getting the sheet music book of this album from the library when I was trying to teach myself to play. Coincidentally Ruby Baby was the one that stuck out to me to learn. Totally forgotten any of it by now though.

There are several versions of the bass part for Ruby Baby on YouTube.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I was handed “Can’t buy a thrill” in 1972 and told to learn “Dirty Work” I did (after a fashion) I’ve been a fan ever since, saw them live in Birmingham years later (I do have the T Shirt) and every U.K. tour since. Never analysed the music as such, I just let ‘Aja’ wash over me, it’s the best Album I own, I wore out a vinyl copy of Can’t buy a thrill and Aja, even called my house Aja..The plaque was black granite and now adorns my daughters house. You can just make it out.

B831243C-ADBE-4697-9E78-37C031AA4D7F.jpeg.25cdfe6d7e1f5bc0cabd8f2c4f7e81c4.jpeg

Nightfly, I like it, I bought the Becker CD’s, Mrs Blondie likes Walters voice more than Donald’s. Steely Dan is my ‘go to’ music, copped “Nearly Dan” twice at the Stables, great ‘Covers’ band. I’m off to the office to indulge.

 

Edited by Oldman
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