Where did Steely Dan get the name Aja?

Steely Dan have several songs with a Far East influence, since Donald Fagen believes it is a symbol of sensuality. He told Rolling Stone magazine that the title came from a high school friend whose brother was in the army and came back with a Korean wife named Aja, although he wasn’t sure how she spelled it.

Who mixed Steely Dan Aja?

Steely Dan’s “Aja” went Double Platinum and spawned three Top 40 singles. Before Al came in, I was mixing the entire record. Bill Schnee had recorded “Aja” and “Black Cow,” and everything else was recorded by Roger Nichols.

Who plays the guitar solo on Aja?

1. Aja (Denny Dias): When people speak of the song “Aja” they often refer to the Steve Gadd drum solo or the mezmerizing Wayne Shorter sax solo. Guitarist Denny Dias in his final appearance with Steely Dan provides a perfect BeBop solo in contrast to Walter Becker’s angular fretwork.

What year was Steely Dan Aja?

September 23, 1977
Aja/Release date
“Aja” was almost an instant success upon its release on September 23, 1977, and within three weeks was the third best-selling album in the counry behind only Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumors” and Linda Ronstadt’s “Simple Dreams.”

Is Aja the best album ever?

Steely Dan bestography Aja is ranked as the best album by Steely Dan.

What does the word Aja mean?

The name Aja is primarily a gender-neutral name of Indian origin that means To Drive, Propel. Also an alternate spelling of the name Asia.

Who is on the cover of the Aja album?

actress Sayoko Yamaguchi
Donald Fagen has said the album was named for a Korean woman who married the brother of one of his high-school friends. The cover photo by Hideki Fujii features Japanese model and actress Sayoko Yamaguchi and was designed by Patricia Mitsui and Geoff Westen.

What is the longest jazz song?

Jazz critic Ben Sidran later called the recording session “a moment when pop music suddenly took a turn left.” “Aja” is the longest song the band recorded before they disbanded in 1981, running for approximately eight minutes.

Why do Steely Dan albums sound so good?

It’s a British release, and it gives good detail about how each album was recorded. Basically, each subsequent album they made took longer, was set to higher, more exacting standards, and more difficult arranging, which ballooned expenses and time.

Is Aja a masterpiece?

As one half of Steely Dan, Donald Fagen was responsible for what many consider to be one of the greatest albums ever made, 1977’s jazz-infused masterpiece, Aja. “That was about 20 years ago, and I discover new things every time I put a Steely Dan record on. I’m still discovering songs for the first time.

Is Aja a black name?

Origin of Aja Aja has a lot of origins. It is e.g. a Czech, Afro-American, Sami and Indian name (for boys and girls).

What does Aja mean in Arabic?

Aja is Arabic/Muslim Girl name and meaning of this name is “High Priestess of Mecca, Goat”.

How did Steely Dan come up with the name Aja?

He told Rolling Stone magazine that the title came from a high school friend whose brother was in the army and came back with a Korean wife named Aja, although he wasn’t sure how she spelled it. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen used a variety of musicians on the Aja album, choosing them to suit the individual tracks.

Who is the drummer on Steely Dan’s Aja?

Kenny Aronoff, a top session drummer who appears on tracks by Stevie Nicks, Joe Jackson, Bob Dylan and many others, puts Steve Gadd’s work on “Aja” in his list of the Top 5 drum performances of all time. Aronoff told Songfacts: “Everybody knows that this was absolute genius.

Where did the song Asia by Steely Dan come from?

The song is pronounced “Asia,” and was inspired by the continent. Steely Dan have several songs with a Far East influence, since Donald Fagen believes it is a symbol of sensuality.

Who are the members of the band Aja?

Walter Becker and Donald Fagen used a variety of musicians on the Aja album, choosing them to suit the individual tracks. On this one, Fagen sang lead and played synthesizer, while Becker, Denny Dias and Larry Carlton handled guitars. On backing vocals is Timothy B. Schmit, who joined the Eagles that same year.