Part 1
Black Cow: The Opening Statement of Immaculate Confrontation
How the first track of Aja establishes the sonic template for perfection: Victor Feldman's Rhodes, Bernard Purdie's pocket, and a narrator who's had enough.
Aja: A Track-by-Track Analysis
Deep dive into Steely Dan's masterpiece—seven tracks of immaculate production, jazz-fusion sophistication, and lyrical precision that defined 1977's sonic perfection.
7 essays
Part 2
Aja: The Eight-Minute Monument to Jazz-Rock Fusion
Unpacking the mythology and reality of the title track: Steve Gadd's legendary drums, Wayne Shorter's soprano sax, and the surgical editing that made perfection possible.
Part 3
Deacon Blues: The Romantic Philosophy of Chosen Failure
Why wanting to be a loser is the most subversive statement on Aja, featuring Pete Christlieb's iconic tenor sax and the art of dignified surrender.
Part 4
Peg: Seven Guitarists and the Quest for the Perfect Solo
The legendary story of how Jay Graydon succeeded where six others failed, and why twenty seconds of guitar became the ultimate symbol of Steely Dan's perfectionism.
Part 5
Home at Last: The Purdie Shuffle and Homeric Wandering
How Bernard Purdie's legendary groove meets Odyssean longing in Steely Dan's meditation on restless return—a song about arrival that never quite settles.
Part 6
I Got the News: The Tightest Pop on the Most Expensive Album
How Steely Dan's shortest and most conventional song on Aja demonstrates that perfectionism serves groove as much as grandeur.
Part 7
Josie: The Celebration That Closes the Journey
How Steely Dan's uptempo finale transforms the album's perfectionism into pure joy—featuring Chuck Rainey's irrepressible bass and the art of the triumphant exit.