Fagan/Steely Dan- Help me out!

[Bochafish]

There are two recordings that really punctuate the sound I am looking for in my own playing, but I can't find out anything about who the players are, and what instrument they are using. Please help me if you know for sure what is happening:

1. Donald Fagan- The Nightfly, off of the Nightfly albumn. Probably Chuck Rainey, but there are 4-5 bass players listed on the cd. It has a jazz bass tone, but I would like to find out for sure. Kinda sounds like my stingray in some parts.

2. Steely Dan, Gaslighting Abbie, off of Two Against Nature.
I want to sound like this all the time. There is a bass player named Tom Barney on the credits, but I know Becker plays on most of the albumn. Anyone know what he uses to record?

Thanks in advance

[20db pad]

According to the "Nightfly" liner notes, the title track "Nightfly" featured Marcus Miller on bass. The not-so-educated guess is that he used his famed old 1977 Jazz with the maple neck and big pickguard. That entire record has some of the best electric bass playing ever recorded, IMO.

"Gaslighting" was Tom Barney, who did all SD's live dates for years. He usually played an ESP Jazz-style 5 string or a Music Man Stingray 5. I think Barney only played one song on "Two Against Nature" - Walter Becker played most of the bass on that record, using his Sadowsky bass, picked and palm muted.

[Bochafish]

Thanks for the info

I am very suprised that is Marcus Miller on the Nightfly. (I burned the disc from a friend, don't have the liner notes)
I don't listen to him much, but I always associated him with an ultra clean tone, and a lot of slap. But the bass on that song is what 'Growl' means to me. A very dirty and juicy tone, I love it.

[JimK]

A 'less clean' Marcus can be heard on The Brecker Brothers Straphanging album. It's bad.
Also, the chromatic Funk sounds on the Miles Davis albums Star People (w/ Tom Barney, too...IIRC) & We Want Miles.

[pyrohr]

Tom Barney and Marcus miller used to practice together back when they both lived in Jamaica Queens (mid 70's)! Tom and Marcus (if you notice) played with a lot of the same people as in Luther, David Sanborne, SNL. While hanging out with Tom he told me they would switch gigs off to each other as the are good friends. I've known Tom since public school ( we used to play together as kids!), Marcus I met when he was 14 years old, the two of them met later in Marcus's teens.
This pic is Tom and I this summer hanging out.

[pyrohr]

Oh and BTW, Tom retired the ESP jazz and now plays a burgandy mist Alleva Coppolla (sp)jazz! While in his studio he pulled it out and asked what i thought of it! OMG it played better than it looked!!!

[Bochafish]

Wow, awesome pic, and very cool story thanks for posting that. Do you think he played that Coppolla on Gas Lighting Abbey? I've been playing for about 16 years, and that is def in my top 5 bass lines of all time, maybe even #1. Tell him 'thank you' for writing that for me

[pyrohr]

Originally Posted by Bochafish

Wow, awesome pic, and very cool story thanks for posting that. Do you think he played that Coppolla on Gas Lighting Abbey? I've been playing for about 16 years, and that is def in my top 5 bass lines of all time, maybe even #1. Tell him 'thank you' for writing that for me

Don't know if he used that bass on that cut sorry.

[Marcus Johnson]

Nice pic!

Straphangin' is some of Marcus' best work. Highly recommended.

[4Mal]

Two Against Nature - man that whole album is so well recorded ... it's almost depressing ...

[Virgil]

Originally Posted by Bochafish

Wow, awesome pic, and very cool story thanks for posting that. Do you think he played that Coppolla on Gas Lighting Abbey? I've been playing for about 16 years, and that is def in my top 5 bass lines of all time, maybe even #1. Tell him 'thank you' for writing that for me

There is a DVD of Steely Dan playing cuts from Two Against Nature album. On the DVD Barney is playing a Music Man StingRay on Gas lighting Abbey.

[drnknmstr]

The ESP was around for a long time. Alleva-C is a newer company, so I think chronologically he didn't use the Alleva on Two Against Nature.

Yeah, sometime last year Bass Player did an analysis on the Nightfly and man, some serious cats on that record.

[pyrohr]

Originally Posted by drnknmstr

The ESP was around for a long time. Alleva-C is a newer company, so I think chronologically he didn't use the Alleva on Two Against Nature.

Tom started playing the Alleva around the time he left Steeley Dan which I think was 2005 early 2006, he had that bass summer of 2006 for sure! Tom soon went to Vegas to do a three year stint with Barbra Streisand. I hope to see him soon!

[woolysock]

My guess would be:
Gaslighting Annie = Tom Barney + MusicMan five-string.
Nightfly (growl) = Anthony Jackson + Fender Jazz w rounds.

[JimK]

OK, I now have The Nightfly LP in my hand. Here's what's in the liner notes-

"I.G.Y." & "Ruby, Baby"-Anthony Jackson That was real tough to figure out.

"Green Flower Street"- Chuck Rainey

"Maxine", "The Nightfly", & "The Goodbye Look"- Marcus Miller

"New Frontier"- Abraham Laboriel

"Walk Bewteen Raindrops"- Will Lee

...come to think of it, I'm surprised Fagen/Becker did not Will Lee a whole lot more.

[drnknmstr]

Well, Chuck Rainey, uh, he's pretty good, too

I recall that Tom used the ESP the most during the Two Against Nature sessions in Bass Player. That jazzy growl from Gaslighting Abby was the ESP. My wager at least.

[Philbiker]

Originally Posted by JimK

"New Frontier"- Abraham Laboriel

Best. Bass. Tone. Ever. IMO

[JimK]

Originally Posted by drnknmstr

Well, Chuck Rainey, uh, he's pretty good, too

Rainey is my man, too.
Just sayin'...is this the only track Lee ever played on for SD?

That jazzy growl from Gaslighting Abby was the ESP. My wager at least.

Mine, too.