Did you know that according to published reports, several of Steely Dan's Songs Influenced groups from Led Zeppelin to Toto?
Listening and reading the credits of any Steely Dan album shows the names of some of the best musicians of the last six decades. Also, numerous musicians who became famous outside of their work with Steely Dan, like Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler, Rick Derringer, Toto’s Jeff Porcaro and David Paich, Eagles’ Timothy B. Schmit, and Patti Austin, just to name a few.
With so many talented guest musicians populating Dan’s nine studio albums, it would be easy to come up with at least 40 or 50 of their performances that are especially noteworthy.
Steely Dan has had a profound influence on music, and their collaborations with talented musicians have shaped some of the most iconic songs in the industry. They've had an incredible lineup of guest musicians who've not only contributed to their albums but have also left their mark on the wider music landscape.
The mention of drum patterns like the "Purdie half-time shuffle" by Bernard Purdie, which was later adapted by notable drummers like John Bonham of Led Zeppelin and Jeff Porcaro of Toto, showcases the influence Steely Dan had on the music of other prominent bands.
The guitar solos by Larry Carlton, Elliott Randall, and others on Steely Dan tracks like "Kid Charlemagne" and "Aja" are often cited as some of the most iconic and celebrated in rock history, contributing significantly to the band's distinct sound and impact.
Steely Dan's collaborations and the intricate musicality of their tracks have left a lasting legacy, influencing musicians across various genres and generations.
Listen to John Bonham on Led Zeppelin’s “Fool in the Rain” and Porcaro on Toto’s “Rosanna.” Not only does Purdie’s shuffle give “Home at Last” just the right level of energy, but his fills give this mellow tune a little pizzazz. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx5ZlTyzU-k
The last four minutes of the final track on Two Against Nature—Steely Dan’s comeback album from 2000—belong to saxophonist Potter. Less than four-and-a-half minutes into “West of Hollywood,” Donald Fagen is done telling his story of a romance that, for unclear reasons, had to end before the protagonist wanted it to. When Potter picks up the melody from Fagen, his playing mirrors the energy of Fagen’s subject, who is gamely trying to move forward with his life, but there are also strong hints of frustration and sadness. Potter’s solo is so melodic and compelling that it could be its song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ES0OdVB8Yo
Like most things on a Steely Dan track, the guitar solo for Aja’s lead single did not come quickly or easily. The first version recorded was actually by Dan’s Walter Becker and not by a studio musician, but he didn’t like his take. Robben Ford, Elliott Randall (who played the solo on “Reelin’ in the Years”), and Derringer all tried their hands at the solo but didn’t record anything to Becker’s and Fagen’s satisfaction. Graydon’s version, which took several hours to record, was good enough, which in other words, meant it was sensational. Though Becker asked for a blues solo, what Graydon delivered is hard to categorize. It propels the song with several galloping runs but also leaves enough space for the groove laid down by guitarist Steve Khan, keyboardist Paul Griffin, bassist Chuck Rainey, and drummer Rick Marotta to shine through.,https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=MXupeS9hv70
Through the first four-and-a-half minutes of Aja’s title track, Gadd’s drumming is tasteful but not flashy. But once Wayne Shorter starts soloing, it’s game-on. The sax solo is just the first taste we get of Gadd’s firepower, and he unleashes it again over the song’s minute-long outro. If Gadd simply treated us to the series of high-speed tom fills, punctuated by snare hits and hi-hat splashes, throughout the outro, that would be satisfying enough. But then he tacks on the samba-on-steroids ride cymbal pattern to the mix, and it’s mesmerizing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYZwVf07tHA&t=2s
Larry Carlton’s 50-second-long showcase in the middle of this song from The Royal Scam is probably his best-known solo, not to mention one of the most celebrated guitar solos in rock history. And that’s just part of his contribution to “Kid Charlemagne,” as he also plays an outro solo and all of the lead parts in the song. By the time Carlton begins his first solo more than two minutes into “Kid Charlemagne,” the bar has been set high, with Griffin (on clavinet), Rainey, and Purdie creating an irresistible groove. Yet Carlton takes the song to another level, starting his solo off slowly and working up to a breezy series of runs that zig just when you expect them to zag. It ends just as tastefully as it starts, holding a few discordant notes just long enough to wring every last drop of sourness out of them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJcR1aq5UqI