Tag Archives: Walter Becker

Michael Franks: Blue Pacific

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On May 31, 1990, “Reprise” label released “Blue Pacific”, the eleventh Michael Franks album. It was recorded 1989 – 1990, at “JHL Sound” in Pacific Palisades, California, “Studio Ultimo” and “Soundworks West” in Los Angeles, “Ground Control Studios” in Burbank, California, “Ocean Way” and “Cherokee Studios” in Hollywood, “Larrabee Sound Studios” and “Schnee Studios” in North Hollywood, and was produced by Walter Becker, Tommy LiPumma and Jeff Lorber.

Personnel:

  • Michael Franks – vocals
  • Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars
  • Buzz Feiten – guitars, acoustic guitar
  • Dean Parks – electric guitar
  • Larry Carlton – guitars
  • Michael Thompson – guitars
  • Jeff Lorber – keyboards, programming, arrangements
  • John Beasley – keyboards
  • Joe Sample – acoustic piano
  • Larry Williams – synthesizer programming, synthesizer arrangements
  • Neil Stubenhaus – bass
  • ‘Ready’ Freddie Washington – bass
  • John Patitucci – bass
  • Sean Franks – cymbals
  • Peter Erskine – drums
  • John Guerin – drums
  • Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
  • Luis Conte – percussion
  • Alex Acuña – percussion
  • Michael Fisher – percussion
  • Marc Russo – alto saxophone
  • Bob Sheppard – tenor saxophone
  • Kirk Whalum – tenor saxophone
  • Bunny Hull – backing vocals
  • Brenda Russell – backing vocals
  • Kareem – backing vocals
  • Livingston Taylor – backing vocals
  • Jeff Lorber – recording
  • Eric Rudd – recording assistant
  • Roger Nichols – recording, mixing
  • Al Schmitt – recording, additional recording
  • Chris Fuhrman – additional recording assistant
  • Tom Hardisty – recording assistant
  • Scott Ralston – recording assistant
  • Clif Norrell – recording assistant
  • Joey Wolpert – additional recording
  • Ed Torgerson – additional recording assistant
  • Gabe Moffat – additional recording assistant
  • Bill Schnee – mixing
  • Alan Meyerson – mixing
  • Neal Pogue – mixing assistant
  • Ken Allardyce – mixing assistant
  • Doug Sax – mastering
  • Sonny Abelardo – production coordinator
  • Carol Parks – production coordinator
  • Jeri and John Heiden – art direction, design
  • Kip Lott – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Michael Franks.

  1. The Art of Love
  2. Woman in the Wave
  3. All I Need
  4. Long Slow Dance
  5. Vincent’s Ear
  6. Speak to Me
  7. On the Inside
  8. Chez Nous
  9. Blue Pacific
  10. Crayon Sun (Safe at Home)

Poco: Head Over Heels

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In July 1975, “ABC” label released “Head over Heels”, the eighth Poco studio album. It was recorded in 1975 and was produced by Mark Henry Harman, Paul Cotton, Rusty Young, Timothy B. Schmit, and George Grantham.

Personnel:

  • Paul Cotton– vocals, guitar
  • Rusty Young– vocals, steel guitar, guitar
  • Timothy B. Schmit– vocals, bass
  • George Grantham– vocals, drums
  • Garth Hudson– keyboards
  • Mark Henry Harman – keyboards, piano, cello
  • Donald Fagen– synthesizer
  • Victor Feldman– percussion
  • Steve Forman – percussion
  • Al Garth – violin
  • Jimmie Haskell– strings
  • Milt Holland– percussion
  • Michael Von Verdick – vocals
  • Mark Henry Harman – recording

Track listing:

  1. Keep on Tryin’ – Timothy B. Schmit
  2. Lovin’ Arms – Rusty Young
  3. Let Me Turn Back to You – Paul Cotton
  4. Makin’ Love – Rusty Young
  5. Down in the Quarter – Paul Cotton
  6. Sittin’ on a Fence – Rusty Young
  7. Georgia, Bind My Ties – Paul Cotton
  8. Us – Rusty Young
  9. Flyin’ Solo – Timothy Schmit, Jacob Otis Brennan
  10. Dallas – Donald Fagen, Walter Becker
  11. I’ll Be Back Again – Timothy Schmit

Steely Dan: Everything Must Go

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On June 10, 2003, “Reprise” label released “Everything Must Go”, the ninth Steely Dan studio album. It was recorded 2001 – 2003, at “Sear Sound”, “Skyline Studios” and “River Sound” in  New York City, “Hyperbolic Sound” in Maui, “Bearsville Studios” in Bearsville, and was produced by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. It was the last studio album with founding member Walter Becker before his death in 2017.

Personnel:

  • Donald Fagen– lead vocals, organ, synthesizer, piano, Hohner Clavinet, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer, solo synth, percussion, horn arrangements, arrangements
  • Walter Becker– lead vocals, bass, solo guitar, percussion, arrangements
  • Jon Herington– guitar
  • Hugh McCracken– guitar
  • Ted Baker – piano, Fender Rhodes, Wurlitzer
  • Bill Charlap– piano, Fender Rhodes
  • Keith Carlock– drums
  • Gordon Gottlieb – percussion
  • Walt Weiskopf– alto and tenor saxophone
  • Chris Potter– tenor saxophone
  • Roger Rosenberg – baritone saxophone
  • Tony Kadleck – trumpet
  • Michael Leonhart– trumpet
  • Jim Pugh– trombone
  • Ken Hitchcock – clarinet
  • Tawatha Agee– backing vocals
  • Ada Dyer – backing vocals
  • Michael Harvey – backing vocals
  • Carolyn Leonhart– backing vocals
  • Cindy Mizelle – backing vocals
  • Catherine Russell– backing vocals
  • Brenda White-King – backing vocals
  • Sam Berd – technician
  • Art Smith – drum technician
  • Sam Berd – piano tuner
  • Tom Doherty, Roger Nichols, Dave Russell, Elliot Scheiner – engineer
  • Suzy Barrows, Tom Doherty, Steve Mazur, Keith Nelson, Todd Parker, Matt Scheiner – engineer assistant
  • Elliot Scheiner – mixing
  • Joe Peccerillo – mixing assistant
  • Darcy Proper – mastering
  • Larry Alexander – editing

Track listing:

All tracks by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen.

  1. The Last Mall
  2. Things I Miss the Most
  3. Blues Beach
  4. Godwhacker
  5. Slang of Ages
  6. Green Book
  7. Pixeleen
  8. Lunch With Gina
  9. Everything Must Go

Christian McBride: Sci-Fi

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On September 11, 2000, “Verve” label released “Sci-Fi”, the fourth Christian McBride studio album. It was recorded in February 2000, at “Avatar Studios”, and was produced by Christian McBride.

Personnel:

  • Christian McBride – upright and electric bass, keyboards
  • David Gilmore– acoustic and electric guitar
  • Herbie Hancock– piano
  • Shedrick Mitchell – piano, electric piano
  • Toots Thielemans– harmonica
  • Ron Blake– soprano and tenor saxophone
  • James Carter– bass clarinet
  • Rodney Green – drums
  • Dianne Reeves– vocalese
  • Joe Ferla – recording, mixing

Track listing:

All tracks by Christian McBride, except where noted.

  1. Aja – Walter Becker, Donald Fagen
  2. Uhura’s Moment Returned
  3. Xerxes
  4. Lullaby for a Ladybug
  5. Science Fiction
  6. Walking on the Moon – Sting
  7. Havona – Jaco Pastorius
  8. I’ll Guess I’ll Have to Forget
  9. Butterfly Dreams – Stanley Clarke
  10. Via Mwandishi
  11. The Sci-fi Outro

Herbie Hancock: The New Standard

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On February 19, 1996, “Verve” label released “The New Standard”, the fortieth Herbie Hancock album. It was recorded in 1995, at “Manhattan Center Studios” in  New York, and was produced by Guy Eckstine and Herbie Hancock.

Personnel:

  • Herbie Hancock– piano
  • Michael Brecker- tenor and soprano saxophone
  • John Scofield- acoustic and electric guitar, electric sitar
  • Dave Holland- acoustic bass
  • Jack DeJohnette- drums, electric percussion
  • Don Alias– percussion
  • Oscar Brashear, Les Lovitt – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Gene Cipriano – oboe, English horn
  • Suzette Moriarty – French horn
  • Maurice Spears – trombone
  • Sam Riney – flute
  • Lili Haydn, Margaret Wooten – violin
  • Cameron Stone – cello
  • Bob Belden – arrangements
  • Patricia Lie – art direction
  • James Minchin, Jimmy Katz – photography

 Track listing:

  1. New York Minute – Don Henley, Danny Kortchmar, Kai Winding
  2. Mercy Street – Peter Gabriel
  3. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
  4. When Can I See You – Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds
  5. You’ve Got It Bad Girl – Stevie Wonder, Yvonne Wright
  6. Love Is Stronger Than Pride – Sade Adu, Andrew Hale, Stuart Matthewman
  7. Scarborough Fair – traditional
  8. Thieves in the Temple – Prince
  9. All Apologies – Kurt Cobain
  10. Manhattan (Island of Lights and Love) – Herbie Hancock, Jean Hancock
  11. Your Gold Teeth II – Donald Fagen, Walter Becker

Madeline Peyroux: Half The Perfect World

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On September 12, 2006, “Rounder/Universal” labels released “Half the Perfect World”, the fourth Madeleine Peyroux studio album. It was recorded in April 2006, and was produced by Larry Klein.

Personnel:

  • Madeleine Peyroux – vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Dean Parks– guitars, ukulele
  • Greg Leisz– pedal steel guitar
  • Sam Yahel– piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, Hammond organ, Estey organ
  • d. lang -vocal
  • Larry Goldings– celeste
  • Gary Foster– alto saxophone
  • Till Brönner– trumpet
  • David Piltch – double bass
  • Scott Amendola– drums
  • Jay Bellerose– drums, additional cymbals
  • Mark Orton – string quertet arrangements
  • Carla Kihlstedt– violin
  • Graeme Jennings– violin
  • Charith Premawardhana – viola
  • Sam Bass – cello

Track listing:

  1. I’m All Right – Walter Becker, Madeleine Peyroux, Larry Klein
  2. The Summer Wind – Hans Bradtke, Henry Mayer, Johnny Mercer
  3. Blue Alert – Leonard Cohen, Anjani Thomas
  4. Everybody’s Talkin’ – Fred Neil
  5. River – Joni Mitchell
  6. A Little Bit – Jesse Harris, Larry Klein, Madeleine Peyroux
  7. Once in a While – Jesse Harris, Larry Klein, Madeleine Peyroux
  8. (Looking for) The Heart of Saturday Night – Tom Waits
  9. Half the Perfect World – Leonard Cohen, Anjani Thomas
  10. La Javanaise – Serge Gainsbourg
  11. California Rain – Jesse Harris, Larry Klein, Madeleine Peyroux
  12. Smile – Charlie Chaplin, Geoffrey Parsons, John Turner

Steely Dan: Can’t Buy A Thrill

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In November 1972, “ABC” label released “Can’t Buy a Thrill”, the debut Steely Dan studio album. It was recorded in 1972 at “The Village Recorder” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Gary Katz. The album cover features a photomontage by Robert Lockart.

Personnel:

  • David Palmer – lead and backing vocals
  • Donald Fagen– acoustic and electric pianos, plastic (YC-30) organ, lead and backing vocals
  • Jeff “Skunk” Baxter– guitar, pedal steel guitar, spoken word
  • Denny Dias– guitar, electric sitar
  • Walter Becker – electric bass, dual lead and backing vocals
  • Jim Hodder– drums, percussion, lead vocal, backing vocals
  • Elliott Randall– lead guitar
  • Jerome Richardson– tenor saxophone
  • Snooky Young– flugelhorn
  • Victor Feldman– percussion
  • Venetta Fields, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews– backing vocals
  • Roger Nichols – engineer
  • Tim Weston – engineer assistant

Track listing:

All tracks by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker.

  1. Do It Again
  2. Dirty Work
  3. Kings
  4. Midnite Cruiser
  5. Only a Fool Would Say That
  6. Reelin’ in the Years
  7. Fire in the Hole
  8. Brooklyn (Owes the Charmer Under Me)
  9. Change of the Guard
  10. Turn That Heartbeat Over Again

Minutemen: Double Nickels On The Dime

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In July 1984, “SST” label released “Double Nickels on the Dime”, the third Minutemen studio album. It was recorded November 1983 – April 1984, at “Radio Tokyo Studios” in Venice, California, and was produced by Ethan James. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked “Double Nickels on the Dime” at number 413 on its list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time”.

Personnel:

  • Boon– vocals, guitar
  • Mike Watt– vocals, bass
  • George Hurley– vocals, drums
  • Joe Baiza– guitar
  • John Rocknowski  – guitar
  • Dirk Vandenberg  – guitar
  • Ethan James– engineer

Track listing:

Side D

  1. Anxious Mo-Fo – D. Boon, Mike Watt
  2. Theatre Is the Life of You – D. Boon, Mike Watt
  3. Viet Nam – D. Boon
  4. Cohesion – D. Boon
  5. It’s Expected I’m Gone – Mike Watt
  6. #1 Hit Song – D. Boon, George Hurley
  7. Two Beads at the End – D. Boon, George Hurley
  8. Do You Want New Wave or Do You Want the Truth? – Mike Watt
  9. Don’t Look Now – John Fogerty
  10. Shit from an Old Notebook – D. Boon, Mike Watt
  11. Nature Without Man – Chuck Dukowski, D. Boon
  12. One Reporter’s Opinion – Mike Watt

Side Mike

  1. Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing – Mike Watt
  2. Maybe Partying Will Help – D. Boon, Mike Watt
  3. Toadies – Mike Watt
  4. Retreat – Mike Watt
  5. The Big Foist – Mike Watt
  6. God Bows to Math – Jack Brewer, Mike Watt
  7. Corona – D. Boon
  8. The Glory of Man – Mike Watt
  9. Take 5, D – Joe Baiza, John Rocknowski, Dirk Vandenberg, Mike Watt
  10. My Heart and the Real World – Mike Watt
  11. History Lesson – Part II – Mike Watt

Side George

  1. You Need the Glory – George Hurley
  2. The Roar of the Masses Could Be Farts – Dick Vandenberg, Mike Watt
  3. Robot’s Holy Orders – George Hurley
  4. West Germany – D. Boon
  5. The Politics of Time – Mike Watt
  6. Themselves – D. Boon
  7. Please Don’t Be Gentle with Me – Jack Brewer, Mike Watt
  8. Nothing indeed – George Hurley, Mike Watt
  9. No Exchange – George Hurley, Mike Watt
  10. There Ain’t Shit on T.V. Tonight – George Hurley, Mike Watt
  11. There Ain’t Shit on T.V. Tonight – D. Boon
  12. This Ain’t No Picnic – D. Boon
  13. Spillage – Mike Watt

Side Chaff

  1. Untitled Song for Latin America – D. Boon
  2. Jesus and Tequila – D. Boon, Joe Carducci
  3. June 16th – Mike Watt
  4. Storm in my House – D. Boon, Henry Rollins
  5. Martin’s Story – Martin Tamburovich, Mike Watt
  6. Ain’t Talkin’ ’bout Love – Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Michael Anthony
  7. Wu – Donald Fagen, Walter Becker
  8. Little Man with a Gun in His Hand – D. Boon, Chuck Dukowski
  9. The World According to Nouns – Mike Watt
  10. Love Dance – D. Boon

Steely Dan: Countdown to Ecstasy

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In July 1973, “ABC” label released “Countdown to Ecstasy”, the second Steely Dan studio album. It was recorded in 1973, at “Caribou Ranch” in Nederland, “The Village Recorder” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Gary Katz. The cover painting was by Dorothy White.

Personnel:

  • Donald Fagen – lead vocals, acoustic and electric pianos, synthesizer
  • Walter Becker– electric bass, harmonica, backing vocals
  • Denny Dias– electric guitar, mixing
  • Jeff “Skunk” Baxter– electric and pedal steel guitars
  • Ben Benay– acoustic guitar
  • Rick Derringer– slide guitar
  • Ray Brown– string bass
  • Jim Hodder– drums, percussion, backing vocals
  • Victor Feldman– vibraphone, marimba, percussion
  • Ernie Watts, Johnny Rotella, Lanny Morgan, Bill Perkins– saxophone
  • Sherlie Matthews, Myrna Matthews, Patricia Hall, David Palmer, James Rolleston, Michael Fennelly– backing vocals
  • Roger Nichols – engineer
  • Miss Natalie – engineer assistant
  • Dotty of Hollywood – design
  • Ed Caraeff – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen.

  1. Bodhisattva
  2. Razor Boy
  3. The Boston Rag
  4. Your Gold Teeth
  5. Show Biz Kids
  6. My Old School
  7. Pearl of the Quarter
  8. King of the World