From the Bottom: The Bassists of THE NIGHTFLY (1982)
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- Опубліковано 18 жов 2020
- #bass #basshistory #analysis #bassgrooves #paulthompson
This videos talks about 5 amazing bassists--Anthony Jackson, Chuck Rainey, Marcus Miller, Abe Laboriel, and Will Lee--and their incredible bass playing on Donald Fagen's 1982 album "The Nightfly". We'll talk about each player, where their career was at the time they cut the tracks, what gear they used, and what they later had to say about the sessions in interviews. We'll also break down the basslines on each track and analyze what makes them so special. Join me in exploring one of the great albums #fromthebottom.
Anthony Jackson/"I.G.Y." - 1:57
Chuck Rainey/"Green Flower Street" - 7:37
"Ruby Baby" - 11:21
Marcus Miller/"Maxine" - 13:23
Abe Laboriel/"New Frontier" - 18:02
"The Nightfly" - 23:39
"The Goodbye Look" - 26:17
Will Lee/"Walk Between Raindrops" - 28:36
Transcriptions of basslines played during video: drive.google.com/drive/folder...
Website: paulthompson.us/
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I apologize for not giving the great Roger Nichols the credit he deserved regarding WENDEL and WENDEL II. Donald Fagen and company were definitely beneficiaries of his genius invention!
Nice, loved the video and stopped in the comment section to note that Roger is the genius behind WENDEL. Great content!
The Immortal.
Space and articulation. I love it
I met Roger and hung out in the booth with him on a session... I asked him a few questions about WENDEL but he was too busy working to answer too much ;) Wow! man cool insight ... great bass insite... Bernard Perdie and any of these cats !!!!!! wow.
Green Flower Street was always my fav on that one, played it a hundred times and never the same twice.
The Nightfly is one of the best albums of the 80's. I was astounded when I first heard it. In my opinion it is Fagen's finest album.
It’s one of the best for sure. Amazing in every respect. I always felt like I was sharing a precious possession whenever I played it for someone.
Isgood
You may be onto something! LOVE THAT ALBUM! As a kid I remember hearing and seeing the video for NEW FRONTIER. And thinkin how kool the composition was and the outro with the cowbell!🤣🎶❤️🎶
Agreed 100%
It sure is!
The Nightfly is a desert island disc. One of the best records ever. Sheer perfection.
It's okay.
Why is it that nobody, I mean nobody, gets it right..its a “deserted island” not a desert island..there is no such thing..if you ever find one comment that gets it right, please let me know..
@@michaelsteven1090 😂😵💫😂
I've been saying desert island forever 😂
I'm gonna start saying dessert island 😋
@@dogsandyoga1743 haha. Ok, bring your favorite dessert and “The Nightfly” 😆
REGARDLESS of the “semantics” we all agree this is a MASTERPIECE that we could listen to on a loop. Meanwhile Donald would make fun of us in a way we would not catch.
This album is an absolute masterpiece.
isgood
Still hope the new generations of players get into this music. It may feel overhyped, but it does live up to the hype and it's the gift that keeps on giving. Anything by Steely Dan is sort of a gold standard for aspiring studio musicians (and audio and recording engineers as well). Donald Fagen's solo stuff is just as meticulously crafted and is just a large collection of absolute killer musicians and vocalists. Everybody involved is a master of their craft and the sort of people that become school subjects.
You follow the rabbit hole of each player... it's one of the most satisfying music to discover.
Anthony’s glamour profession bassline is insane. It blows my mind
That may just be my favorite S.D. jam......
Gaucho LP? Am I right?
@@jackwezesa1081 Correct and what an album it is!!
And Steve Kahn's solo at the end
One of my favourite Dan numbers.
The engineering on the "Nightfly" CD is second to none. It was actually the first 100% digital CD. Digitally recorded, mixed and mastered. That coveted DDD marking on the disc cover. It sounds so excellent to this day! None of the harshness of setting the mics too close or EQing it brightly. Just that beautiful natural sound, with nice solid bass for a subwoofer. I believe it was all done with gear from 3M. 🎸🎸🎸
There weremclose mics. Lol.
And when that came out peolle didn't like the sound. The converters were a little harsh
@@morbidmanmusic I and countless others loved the sound right from the start! And I bought it when it came out ...
When The Nightfly came out I was playing bass in punk bands while privately worshiping this album. I had been a Steely Dan fan from the first album, but didn't have the right stuff to play that kind of music. So I was playing dive bars, getting paid in beer, and keeping my jazz fantasies to myself.
What a fantastically honest comment one of the best I've seen. I know what you mean, when u have your musical love or foot in different and hidden camps. Me too, loving Nightfly and the Dan and also Punk, Brilliant New Wave 77-81 and Lou Reed and Bowie and many more.
The best kind of musician has diverse musical interests.
"Me and Mike Watt, playing guitar." Thank you for a great comment. "Til the sun comes through..... the skylight". It really is all good.
I was playing emo music when i discovered jazz. I didnt shy away from letting it influence my playing and my bandmates were very receptive. Different times i suppose. Especially with how punk culture can be very puritan in some circles.
@Corndog Sanchez you and I both. I was deep into the NY Hardcore scene in the early-mid 80’s, meanwhile studying classical piano and growing from prog rock into fusion, then traditional jazz. I saw Stanley Jordan’s NYC debut opening for the Gary Burton Quartet at Lehman College, then went straight to CBGB to see Agnostic Front on the same night in May 1985. All music is good music!
I'm 68 years old. I've played bass since I was 13. I listen to countless hours of YT. The fact that yours is the first channel I have ever subscribed to is a testament to the quality of your research, the interesting foci you choose, and the natural flow of your delivery. If that weren't enough (and it is) you add the charts. Thanks so much Paul. I'm in.
That's as amazing a reply as I've gotten so far. THANK YOU! I hope you'll continue to watch and that I make stuff worth your time.
You just described me Paul. 68 and started playing bass at 13.
So well said mate. I'm 60 and i agree with your compliments!
Absolutely! Fantastic
Soul and Genuine Written Words Speak Musical Volumes
One of the greatest albums, it is absolutely timeless. I listen to it every Saturday.
This is one of my favourite albums of all time...total classic!
The Nightly is my favorite album of all time and Donald is my favorite song writer of all time.
Yep, one of the greatest LP's of all time, IMO. What an A list of bass players, well, everyone on this LP.
A perfect album. I named my daughter Maxine after the song.
Donald Fagen is a genius!
I named my daughter Aja from the title track on the amazing Aja album!
@@Soul_Education Beautiful. The Dan family, perhaps someday we should try a reunion haha!
Wow! I love your music history. I listened to most of the Dan albums when they came out but didn't understand them musically. Now after 50 years of playing bass, these extraordinary musicians deserve all the accolades, videos and print that can be mustered.
Will Lee saw this video and shared it on Facebook a few hours ago. You're almost internet famous, amigo!!!
Let's hope everybody goes out and buys THE NIGHTFLY again. The world will be a better place!
@@pdbass lol. Just did in vinyl no less
I bought it on vinyl too
Mine got borrowed and never returned ,wounded
EPIC review. I worked at an ad agency in the late 80''s and an illustrator in the studio turned me on to The Nightfly. Good God it was amazing.
I was speaking with Hadley Hockensmith who played guitar in the group Koinonia with Abe Laboriel. I was commenting on how great a bass player Abe was and Hadley said, "You ought to hear him play drums". Of course, now Abe's son plays drums for McCartney.
Yes! Really, he's also playing a lot of drums on the bass. Not surprised.
Ahhh, The Nightfly.... One of my favorite albums of all time. Staggering sound quality and, indeed, Fantastic bass playing. Nice review! My compliments!
Still have this CD- and still listen to it- ✌️😎
So true... timeless masterpiece!
An absolute classic
Pete Woodroffe Music UK
Guitar player here, but great coverage and an awesome album bringing back memories for sure! I discovered Abe Laboriel through Lee Ritenour's many sessions with him on bass.
This amazing album has been in my life since 1993 when I heard it played in my local record store. I was only 18 and Kamakiriad would come out just a few weeks later. I immediately bought the very CD they were playing, and it later introduced me to Steely Dan, via "Pretzel Logic" all the way to becoming a lifelong Donald Fagen & Steely Dan fan !
This is awesome. The Nightfly reframed my concept of what recorded music should be. Bravo.
The Nightfly is probably one of my most favorite albums of all time. I got it on vinyl in 82, then CD in 2011 now on mp3 today in this phone.
40 years as a gigging bass player and still learning. My favourite album of all time, the bass lines & harmonies remain a reference point for everything since. Love it. Thanks.
I was 22 in 1972 and listened to a variety of music, but rarely bought music. Once I heard Steely Dan, I began purchasing record albums. I would record them onto cassette tapes, so the quality was pretty low. Bought some good headphones to listen at home and my appreciation of music began. I am not a musician but am considering learning guitar. Have been watching videos about the Steely Dan world and it is so interesting learning about the process of creating great music. Thank you for adding to my appreciation.
As a bass player, I really appreciate this. Thank you.
I love this album so much and the song Maxine so much that I named my daughter after it ;)
Thank you!
The Nightfly is one of of the most durable albums ever. I've listened to it again and again countless times - and I am never bored. Ever. I love this album. I play bass. Thank you so much
The vinyl is hard to find now . It s crazy when I stop and think about the time passed ! I was 26 in 82 when it came out! WTF! Used record stores a getting 20 to 25 dollars for an original . Fleetwood Mac s Rumours same thing . Who w
Ould have thunk! 🎸!
There must be a billion pressings of Rumours! The college kids scoff them up . You talk about an amazing sound!🎸!
I love The Nightfly and I'm very impressed by your analysis. Just got the live version of the album on CD. There are some amazing differences between the original and the live version, particularly the vocals in the bridge of "Maxine" and the end of the title cut.
In re: Walk Between Raindrops, one of my favorite moments of this album as a bassist, is the noticeable yet smooth shift from key bass to Will's electric in the 3rd bar of the last verse when it hits the tonic, sounds like Will comes in on an open low E on the + of 1, the textural change from the 'doon' key bass C on the downbeat to the open sustained 'bawww' sound of the low E on the +, swings so hard. Just one of countless pinnacle moments on this album. Thanks for shining some light on the bottom of this wonderful album!
When this album dropped, I acquired it because I was a big Steely Dan fan. I got the CD and cassette as well and played the hell out of them. Over time I got away from all things Becker and Fagen, because I was exploring different genres of music. I recently rediscovered this incredible recording as well as all the Steely Dan catalog and am enjoying it all over again.
You have literally listed the bass players who helped bring about and nurtured my love of bass playing. Chuck Rainey, Marcus Miller, Anthony Jackson, and Abe Laboriel in that order were the foundational players in my bass-loving life.
I enjoyed this video tremendously! Thank you so much.
Thanks a lot for making revelatory video. To me, The Nightfly album is the pinnacle of what pop ever has achieved.
I listened to this album on my boom box as soon as it was available back in the '80s (I was and am a HUGE Steely Dan fan), and I knew I was the only person in my life who knew about it, except, of course, for IGY. As I've grown older, the pathos of the song The Nightfly is truly haunting, beautiful, and sacred. Seeing this music being paid so much respect is very heart-warming.
Great job with this video~!~ I've been probably the BIGGEST Larry Carlton fan in the universe~!~ And when the "Night Fly" came out I instantly bought it and shared it with all of my musical friends~!~ We were all blitzed and blown to bitzz by the intricate and marvelous production~!~ ~~Larry Carl-tone~~ was chosen as the soloist on most of the album, with a few other fellow studio guitarists who mostly played the rhythm parts mostly. My three most influential guitarists are 1) LARRY CARL-TONE lol, 2) ROBBEN FORD, and 3) DICKEY BETTS from the Allman Brothers~!~
Thank You very much! This is exactly what i was tried to explain todays studiomixer who thought that "Nitefly" is outdated...NOT! Warm Greetings from nearby the Arctic Circle, Finland, where,also, Jaco Pastorius´s granndma came from :
I read that Greg’s solo on Ruby Baby was the first take. He had been sleeping on the couch when they woke him for his solo. He was just goofing around with the “You Really Got Me” quote but Donald loved it. “Thanks, Greg! Next!”.
Nightfly is my favorite album!
God man listening to you play these songs and talk about them is really amazing to hear. You really killed those lines man. Thank you for this.
Thank YOU for the motivation and inspiration, Heyd! You killed that groove at the end, my man!
Some nice playing yourself there Heyd, your teacher should be proud.
Well done Mr. Reyes!
And thanks for inspiring Mr. Thompson to put this together.
@@peteyoung9755 Thank you so much!
@@Harlembrown Thanks so much man, I am really glad that I could inspire Mr. Thompson to make such a phenomenal video.
I'm not a bass player let alone a musician. Love your bass breakdown of the beautiful album. I never stop playing it.
Anthony Jackson is my favorite...saw him later that year with al di Meola ......insane players
Love the production of Nightfly
You’re very gifted…what a masterclass!!!!! You know exactly how to spotlight these legendary players doing their thang on each bass track of one of the greatest album of music-in all one mankind’s greatest accomplishments! Love your style! You’re know indelibly woven into the fabric of THE NIGHTFLY-in my mind.
OMG I love this Album!...I now I realize/remember how awesome and unique bass was!! Thx
ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS OF ALL TIME🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆
I'm probably not that into bass playing as most of the viewers here, but I found this video very interesting and entertaining and very well recorded. Oh, of course I love Steely Dan and Fagen!
Thank you for your wonderful analysis of the stuff that tends to get overlooked - the Bass. And what would we do without this beautiful instrument? Even the Drummers in the back get more respect!! Anyway, I had to watch this cuz The Nightfly has been one of my favorite albums ever since it came out. The Vocal arrangements are lush, the songs extremely cool, the keyboards - amazing. I am a Recording Engineer - and Roger Nichol's work is stellar! BTW - Roger was a Nuclear Scientist in another life (before getting heavily involved in the studio) and invented "Wendel", which I think was the first Drum Machine - also an audio sampler - way back in 1978. In the case of The Nightfly, he did use his re-invented Wendell II machine.
Whenever I have "Fine Tuned" the PA System in an Arena situation - I have always put on my trusty Nightfly CD to check out the System. The clarity and range of frequencies quickly tell me what is going on. Besides, it's fun to listen to. I was shocked when I discovered that Engineer after Engineer also use that album - to this day - to do the exact same thing!
....and I thought I was the only person on this planet that likes this album, have done from day one and still today together with Aja. Great video, thanks.
Just great! What a treat for a bass player like me who adores the night fly. Thanks a lot. I learnt a lot. I now have so much to practice!
Whenever I’m listening to high end audio equipment I use this as an example of very well recorded music. And the musicianship is astounding.
I have been using it as a reference too since the 80s, record, record to tape , and cd
The best analysis ever of one of my fav albums of all time, not just Fagen...just crazy..Thanks!
Thanks for the great video!! I was a young drummer in high school when The NIghtfly came out and, like you, have loved it every time I played along with it and listened to it. I never tire of it and consider it as close to perfect as a record can be, if there is such a thing. Take Care!!
Great analysis for one of my favorite albums. I never really paid a ton of attention to the bass on these tracks before. Donald and Walter were kind of like Miles in that they really knew how to put together a good band and use each party’s talent to the fullest extent.
Very nice review! Every bassist on this landmark album deserves all the credit you mentioned. 'Massive talent that we have all learned from! One thing I would question. On "New Frontier" I am 99% sure that Abe played a Yamaha BB2000. I have seen videos of Abe playing a natural-finished one, and I also have owned one since the mid eighties. I'd know that sound anywhere!
Abe is an incredible player, his lines on 'New Frontier' are sublime. Chuck Rainey is another amazing player, thanks for a great podcast.
Yes I agree esp. about "New Frontier" - beautifully played and he and the drummer Ed Greene help creating a mood that both evokes anticipation (of adult life, of going to the big city, or of next weekend's party, etc) and nostalgia for a time of innocence that now is gone, it's in the past. Michael Omartian's recurring bell-like piano motive, too... 🎶🎹🎶
On "Walk between the raindrops", I think it's much more difficult for bass men than hearing from the outside. Thank you for your posting.
I adore Donald Fagen’s music altogether, it’s simply incredible. ✌️😙
I stumbled upon this video in the typical random UA-cam feed (which I know is not particularly random, but I'm 60 and don't get some of this stuff). I'm glad I did. Your knowledge combined with your willingness to let the bassists speak for themselves is just exactly the right way to present this history. I love all these players, but for me, Chuck Rainey has an organic way of appealing to the listeners ear--of course, comparing the various members of the pantheon you are exploring is pointless. They all have genius. Good video.
May I add something about Marcus Miller, on top of his huge talent he is a very good French speaker and that takes skills!! We're lucky in France to have him speak to us in our native language when he plays there. Same for Kyle Eastwood on a different kind of bass though ;)
Very cool! Thanks for putting this together. The Nightfly is a masterpiece.
Very insightful video, very informative. 👊🏿
Anthony Jackson . ANTHONY JACKSON!! The G.O.A.T 👌🏿
Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿🖤
pd this is my all time favorite Donald Fagan album for musicality, I can tell each song by the bassline, choice of musicians, All my favorite bassists are on this album!! This is my NYC album...
I used to play bass in a band, and learnt by listening to McCartney. I still have my P-Bass and must get it out again.
I love this album so much! It is so alive with imagery of the early 1960’s It is up there with Pet Sounds as my favorite
Thank you for remembering Roger the master....... What an amazing record. This is my favorite Michael Brecker solo cause it is so nice on Maxine and then of course the vocal parts on Maxine are off the charts
Excellent post on a most cherished LP. Thank you.
Yeh! I’ve been playing it consistently for 40 odd years.
I'm only halfway through this video. This analysis and research paired with playing knowledge you have and showing the bass lines.. as well as the studio stories from the musicians themselves. Man, just awesome. This format is perfect. Great great video.
Thank you!
Hey Brad! Album when?
Major sharp elevens would that be C, E,G,C major with F#,eg,C,E,F#,G,C,= C maj #11 , I need to get my theory books out now . Thank you for your excellent work .
Totally cool review... with stunning bass playing, and I am looking forward to checking out the pdf files... Night Fly is a brilliant album... Many thanks...
Thank you for reviewing the bass players and The New Frontier…My Lord!!!
Definitely my favorite album. I can’t believe the detail you have revealed. I will enjoy it even more!
I feel that this record get's underapreciated and isn't mentioned much. Thank you for shining a light on this record!
I love DF and Steely Dan..Nightfly is one of my all time favorites...the musicianship on all their stuff s just outstanding. Currently I have on repeat DF's "On the Dunes"..Love the bass .it's like being enveloped in a warm comforting blanket then the Drum fade out ..my gawd!..interspersed with that sax is insane.
That is my favorite album, and I also liked the songs on the album.
Cannot thank you enough for this, it is superb! I’m not a bassist, but this album has been one of my favorites of all time, and you analysis will take the entire record to another level of enjoyment for me. The cats you profiled here - all bass royalty - have given us all years of sonic pleasure. I have SO much respect for all the work you put into this presentation. Wish you all blessings my brother!
Glad you like it!
My gosh, the bass line in "New Frontier" is indelibly etched into my brain. Such a great gift, Abe. Love.
Congrats, you understood it all !
In 1982, I was a 20 y.o. bass and guitar player (and still ) I fell in love instantly with this album (still have my vinyle) I learned to play the whole album on bass and guitar at that time, and I learned sooo much on how to play correctly my instruments. Still listen to it, and love it. Yes it's such a masterpiece ! Great respect for these musicians. Love from France.
Fantastic presentation! I graduated HS (barely) in '82 and jumped out on the road immediately to chase my dream. I brought one cassette along, this one. With lots of downtime, I listened until every song was in my DNA. It changed my approach to really locking in with the bass player no matter the situation. I started getting a lot of work because of this record and to this day, I'm inspired by all of these brilliant musicians, and one in particular. JTP 4Ever. Peace.
Long live Jeff Porcaro! Thanks for watching.
You ain't lying about it being an "all-star cast" of players. I'm 50 and have been playing music (drums & guitar) since I was a teenager. I just started seriously learning the bass less than a month ago, and one day I decided -- while practicing -- that I'd throw in some Steely Dan and see if I could play along to Peg, or Hey Nineteen, or one of those other songs I've heard a MILLION times, & even played (as a drummer) many, many times. As an aspiring bassist? That song kicked my a$$ in about... oh... 10 seconds? I've said this a hundred times, but it's really hitting home now: you never fully appreciate a song until you try to play it. Those cats playing with Donald Fagen & Steely Dan are ridiculously good musicians.
You are so right. Thanks. (Drummer myself and also playing Bass now for 9 years, not practicing enough though.)
This is such a great breakdown of one of my favorite albums of all time. I wore this thing out when it came out. I always thought this was a masterclass on how to play bass. Such great songs and musicianship. You did an amazing job with this video. I will be watching this again. Thanks much!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
Yeah I love his voice , i was born in 85 but as a producer a listened to Aja one day and it was a wrap I was hooked. Nothing like discovering new music. Incredible musician Walter r.I.p
this video is as crisp and clear as The Nightfly itself. aesthetically pleasing...great job!!!
Thank you for watching!
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO. I've just recently dove into to Donald Fagen's and Steely Dan's work about a year ago, getting into all the bassists they used, and I'm having a ball learning everything I can. This album IS a masterpiece. And with your input and knowledge of this album I'm learning more than I would have ever learned whether it be the musical approach a bassist takes to a song or how they recorded it. Thank you so much for this content. I would love to see you cover some more Steely Dan work! Keep up the great work!
Being born in '98 I have no idea what it was like to grow up living in the time but this is one of the few albums that makes me feel like I can get an idea, it's truly a snapshot of the period (imo) and I absolutely loved watching this breakdown!
The nightfly is all at once a snapshot of the period, a snapshot of the 50's, and of what music production could and would become in the future. Truly timeless.
Is good
@@Margar02 it is good
I LOVE THIS ALBUM AS WELL! ONE OF MY FAVORITES from Donald Fagen! The sessions musicians he picks are always phenomenal!
Thank you sir for letting me get a handle on playing this album. The tip of the handle
Fantastic video, man! I really appreciate you taking a deep dive into the phenomenal players and grooves on this album. The Nightfly is one of my all-time favorites, and the often overlooked and under appreciated bass parts are a huge reason why the album is so amazing! Kudos!
I'm really enjoying this bass breakdown of a great album! To set the record straight on your comment about the Wendel 2 drum machine, it was actually all due to the genius of the Immortal Roger Nichols. He created the Wendel and perfected the process of using it with real drummers in the studio. He left us way too soon, but his legacy lives on.
Roger Nichols was a genius and a super cool dude. I had the opportunity to chat with him several times back in the 90s. One of the conversations was about atomic clocks for digital audio. :-) Rest in peace Roger. Soundies everywhere learned a lot from listening to the records you so lovingly engineered.
The absolute best. Love playing the bass to this album
This is just rad! And I have that album in my bones ...
Great job!! And thanks for mentioning the Phillinganes solo on Ruby Baby. ..it was the greatest..I learned it for a class in college.
Space, Articulation and Tone ..that is Anthony Jackson !
And excellent, in-depth presentation✌🏽
My female cousin put me on to this album. Even though I am heavily into R&B Donald Fagen made me a true lover of fusion jazz. The whole album is a masterpiece and not too many artists can say that about their music.
Absolutely superb analysis! Your work on this is spectacular: your research is very accurate, your delivery and narration are most pleasant, your examples are beautifully recorded and filmed. This should be shown in Music schools and colleges all over the world! You are a natural teacher. Thank you for this! I subscribed and I will be watching again and again.
Wow, thank you!
Well put..thank you, you said it for me.
Watching this again at 5 am because I cannot sleep and my brain is begging to get busy on something beautiful! ❤🎵
Excellent breakdown of this album. Keep up the great content. I really enjoy your knowledge and enthusiasm about music.
Bravo Paul!
I have listened to this lp since 1982 and I thought I knew tons of things about this album until now.
I realized I was a dummy.
Great video.