Steely Dan’s “My Old School” features a boss, brassy Stax sound plopped right into a piano-driven hard shuffle – making this a fun, foot-stomping number.

Rick Derringer’s gloriously greasy slide guitar assured that “Show Biz Kids” would stand as one of Steely Dan’s better deep cuts.

A singer referenced in this Steely Dan song was best known for ‘Stripsody,’ where she used her voice to mimic comic-book sounds.

Walter Becker once called himself as a “B+” guitarist. He’s certainly underrated there but as a bassist, I’d rate him even higher. Nonetheless, Becker had a history of making way for another bassist to play on a Steely Dan tune if he thought if that person was the better manRead More

A rock song about Buddhism that you can dance the Charleston to, boasting not one but two bad-ass guitar leads? That’s a party tune, Steely Dan style.

Even in Steely Dan’s misfires, there was a high level of sophistication and craftsmanship. But I still don’t care much for this song.

Skunk Baxter was just beginning to make his mark in 1972, but it was already evident that Steely Dan landed the right man for the job.

I don’t know how many Steely Dan fans are also into country music, but “Brooklyn” showed the two seemingly opposed passions could co-exist quite nicely.

All hail chief engineer Roger Nichols, referred to in the album credits since Steely Dan’s debut as “The Immortal.”

More than any other track from their debut album, “Only a Fool Would Say That” points the way to what Steely Dan would evolve into.