I’ve reached the end of this collection of great Donald Fagen songs with mixed feelings. The versions of “Ruby Baby” and “Maxine” on 2021’s The Nightfly Live are excellent additions to the canon of Donald Fagen/Steely Dan concert recordings.
“Green Flower Street,” however, verges on unlistenable in comparison to the many superior versions out on the interwebs. “I.G.Y.,” “New Frontier,” “The Nightfly” and “Walk Between Raindrops,” the last song in the album, are all fine if not ultimately forgettable.
Drummer Keith Carlock and bassist Freddie Washington do a fine job recreating the studio version’s strut, which was provided by Steve Jordon and Will Lee. The sequenced backing from the original 1982 album is replaced with a tight electric rhythm guitar, presumably by Connor Kennedy.
Fagen thankfully limits his tooting on the melódica to the song’s introduction. Jim Beard is again called upon to provide the instrumental heavy lifting, with bopping organ passages and a lively organ solo. Beard also covers the synthesized marimba here – and it’s much more appropriate than the additions in “The Goodbye Look” or the over-baked version on the live Steely Dan album.
Donald Fagen sings his non-overdubbed vocals with effortless grace, giving the song and indeed the album an enchanting end. Too bad those who actually bought this album on vinyl or compact disc didn’t get detailed liner notes and photos.
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