> *** STEELY DAN SUNDAY INDEX *** We all like to think that Steely Dan’s music is distinguished by sly lyrics, complex harmonies, elite musicianship and sharp production. While those attributes might be found in nearly every Steely Dan song, the most instantly recognizable feature is not any of thoseRead More

With the three-album ‘Dansere’ compilation, we’re not really examining a single piece of Jan Gararek’s work but a trio of distinct ones.

Apart from his trademark whammy bar-induced vibrato, Norwegian guitarist, keyboardist, saxophonist, composer and bandleader Terje Rypdal has been one of the hardest to define figures of progressive jazz You May Also Like: The Dream, featuring Terje Rypdal – Get Dreamy (1967, 2017 reissue) Terje Rypdal – ‘Conspiracy’ (2020) Various ArtistsRead More

Columbus, Ohio’s fo/mo/deep calls themselves an “Eclectic Groove Oriented – Funky Jazz Collective,” and it’s truth in advertising. You May Also Like: Manu Katché – Unstatic (2016) Peter Erskine and the Dr. Um Band – Second Opinion (2017)

Jon Herington gets to show off sides of him you won’t hear on a recent Steely Dan-related album or see live when he’s touring.

Allan Holdsworth’s career is perhaps nearly as well known for his brief stays in well-regarded prog and fusion bands as it is for his guitar wizardry. Tony Williams’ Lifetime, UK and even Level 42 all have Holdsworth “one-and-done” studio albums. You May Also Like: Soft Machine – ‘Live at theRead More

Out of the same Athens, GA college town that gave the world R.E.M. The B-52’s and The Drive-By Truckers, comes The Odd Trio. You May Also Like: Chris Combs – Combsy (2017) Mike Dillon & Punkadelick – ‘Inflorescence’ (2023)

For only the second — and last — time in this series, we’re discussing a cover song. When Fagen decided to theme an album on “certain fantasies that might have been entertained by a young man growing up in the remote suburbs of a northeastern city during the late ’50sRead More

Microtonal music theory teaches us, among other things, that being “out of tune” is a relative concept. What might sound off key to someone accustomed to strictly Western culture won’t sound that way at all You May Also Like: Vijay Iyer Sextet – Far From Over (2017) Vijay Iyer –Read More

UK guitarist Mike Walker got this capital idea to put together a quartet with Americans Steve Swallow (el. bass) and Adam Nussbaum (drums), and enlisted young piano talent and fellow Englishman Gwilym Simcock to round out the group. You May Also Like: John Scofield – ‘Swallow Tales’ (2020)