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Aja is an album by the rock band Steely Dan. Originally released in 1977 (see 1977 in music), it became the group's best-selling album. Topping at #3 on the U.S. charts and #5 in the United Kingdom, it was the band's first platinum album. In July 1978, the album won the Grammy Award for Best Engineered Non-Classical Recording.
The album is considered to be the band's most ambitious and sophisticated, and the eight minute-long title track features complex jazz-based changes and a solo by renowned saxophonist Wayne Shorter.
Track listing
all songs by Becker and Fagen
- "Black Cow" - 5:10
- "Aja" - 8:00
- "Deacon Blues" - 7:36
- "Peg" - 4:00
- "Home at Last" - 5:35
- "I Got the News" - 5:07
- "Josie" - 4:30
Personnel
- Walter Becker - bass, guitar, electric guitar, vocals
- Donald Fagen - synthesizer, keyboards, vocals, background vocals, whistle
- Larry Carlton - guitar, electric guitar
- Pete Christlieb - flute, tenor saxophone
- Gary Coleman - percussion
- Denny Dias - guitar
- Victor Feldman - percussion, piano, keyboards, electric piano, vibraphone
- Venetta Field - vocals, background vocals
- Chuck Findley - horn, brass
- Steve Gadd - drums
- Jay Graydon - guitar, electric guitar
- Ed Greene - drums
- Paul Griffin - keyboards, electric piano, vocals, background vocals
- Don Grolnick - keyboards, clavinet
- Jim Horn - flute, saxophone
- Paul Humphrey - drums
- Richard Hyde - trombone
- Slyde Hyde - brass
- Plas Johnson - flute, saxophone
- Jackie Kelso - flute, horn, saxophone
- Jim Keltner - percussion, drums
- Steve Khan - guitar
- Clydie King - vocals, background vocals
- Rebecca Louis - vocals, background vocals
- Rick Marotta - drums
- Shirley Matthews - vocals, background vocals
- Lou McCreary - brass
- Michael McDonald - vocals, background vocals
- Michael Omartian - piano, keyboards
- Dean Parks - guitar
- Bill Perkins - flute, horn, saxophone
- Bernard "Pretty" Purdie - drums
- Chuck Rainey - bass
- Lee Ritenour - guitar
- Joe Sample - keyboards, electric piano, clavinet
- Timothy B. Schmit - bass, vocals
- Tom Scott - conductor, flute, tenor saxophone, lyricon
- Wayne Shorter - flute, tenor saxophone
Production
- Producer: Gary Katz
- Engineers: Roger Nichols, Elliot Scheiner, Al Schmitt, Bill Schnee
- Assistant engineers: Joe Bellamy, Lenise Bent, Ken Klinger, Ron Pangaliman, Ed Rack, Linda Tyler
- Mastering: Bernie Grundman
- Production coordination: Barbara Miller
- Sound consultant: Dinky Dawson
- Consultant: Daniel Levitin
- Horn arrangements: Tom Scott
- Art direction: Vartan Reissue
- Design: Geoff Westen
- Photography: Walter Becker
- Liner notes: Walter Becker, Donald Fagen
- Reissue coordination: Beth Stempel
Charts
Album
| Year
| Chart
| Position
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| 1977
| Pop Albums
| 3
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Singles
| Year
| Single
| Chart
| Position
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| 1978
| "Deacon Blues"
| Pop Singles
| 19
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| 1978
| "Josie"
| Pop Singles
| 26
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| 1978
| "Peg"
| Pop Singles
| 11
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Awards
Grammy Awards
| Year
| Winner
| Category
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| 1977
| Aja
| Best Engineered Recording, Non Classical
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External link
Aja is the title of a documentary about the making of the Steely Dan album of the same name.
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