Essential Chuck Rainey

[MR PC]

Steely Dan tracks are great......pretty restrained though IMHO...

Aretha Franklin, "Young Gifted and Black" sessions. Chuck Rainey is truly inspired on that recording. He didn't have to hide from anyone or turn his back, or make excuses when asked about it in an interview.

Really, isn't that Steely Dan stuff like of like rewriting "Louie, Louie" over and over, coupla' extra chords to update the commercial concept and such? Make it hip for the kids. Beck and Fagen must have laughed all the way to the bank!

Listen to Chuck describe his relationship with James Jamerson on the Dr. Licks stuff.....that is a living musician speaking, not a Steely Dan robotized studio musician.

[jerry]

Marvin Gaye's 'I Want You' album, a mid-70's soul gem.

[Funk 'N' Stein]

I think Chuck's playing on Steely Dan's "Kid Charlemagne" (The Royal Scam) is worthy of hero status alone.

Quite possibly my favorite song of all time and IMO Steely Dan's best. (certainly the best of 1976) Not their usual sophisticated jazz/rock schtick. Just a good earthy funk groove elevated to the level of 'masterpiece' by Chuck's very syncopted bass part (yeah!!) and the ULTRA FUNKY Bernard Purdie on drums

Throw in Fagen's trademark nasal Noo Yawk whine, a killer wiseass lyric, great rhodes accompaniment, some sparse but very groovy clavinet and THE BEST GUITAR SOLO OF ALL TIME courtesy of Larry Carlton...and you have yourself one heck of a good song.

"just by chance you crossed a daaaaaaaamond with a pearl...you turned it the world, thats when you turned the world aroooouuund..did you feel like jesus? did you realise that you were a champion in their eyes??..get alooooong... get alooong kid charlemagne...get alooong kid charlemagne"