Michael Omartian Discusses Playing on Steely Dan's "Aja"

[@rickbeato2]

Full Interview Here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g17Jdn6caKapacU

[@rebelyellyoung]

GREAT, THANX RICK !!

[@ministerofdarkness]

Aja is a true Masterpiece.

[@guydouglas6094]

I could listen to Michael Omartian all day - what a great musician and storyteller. Love my Steely Dan.

[@keithnore9622]

I would absolutely love to hear Michael play the entire song on just the piano. The parts that he plays in this video make me want to hear more! Well done!

[@mohomoho1]

I had a chance meeting with Donald Fagan this past August Park ave and 77th street Lenox Hill hospital. What a great guy. Talked a bit and did a selfie with him. My first comment was "Donald, man I've been listening to your music since the 70's". Said sorry for your loss, Walter. So many things I wanted say but didn't want to take anymore of his time. How I bought Dan's Aja Mobile Fidelity Sound labs $50 box from Harvey Sound back in the early 80's on a bike messenger salary. I worked a block away from Harvey's. $$$ Kennedy Center needs to honor Steely Dan. Thank you Donald for your time and photo.

[@chuckmadden2251]

The knowledge drop at the end is stunning. Making the best music from ones known limitations.

[@louise_rose]

Would love to see him talking about his playing on the Nightfly album, where he was prominent on several tracks! :)

[@davidwood351]

I have the box set: A Decade of Steely Dan, I play their music every week on my Walkman mp3 player. It’s like medicine.

[@hklinker]

I love Omartian’s touch. Even those little bits he played during the interview - takes me right back to the SD tracks he played on.

[@aviduser1961]

What a contribution to the arts Steely dan have made. The Royal Scam is quite an album too.

[@tomf9130]

It would be cool to hear Omar talk about the Pretzel Logic and Katy Lied period, especially would love to hear him break down Charlie Freak.

[@hklinker]

Do you think he played on Charlie Freak? As far as I can tell, the musicians are not named on the individual tracks.

[@louiebee6745]

"Just do some fills." Gadd: Yep, got it.👍

[@alanFconrad]

I love ALL Steely Dan talk

[@thomasludgate-c5l]

1 of the Top 25 ALL time records EVER

[@theshootindutchman]

Aja is just a gift from God🙏. Im so thankful for this song and for Steely Dan in general😄Just pure joy to listen to😁

[@krokovay.marcell]

I hate to break it to you, but it’s not a gift from anybody, it’s the result of hard work

[@voicetube]

I hear you!

[@toddwalkerdrumstudio]

JUST FANTASTIC Rick & Michael!!!!...Rick your 'YEARS/channel/music and wonderful content", is SO AWESOME for when some of THE B E S T music was made/created and recorded!!!!!!........Inside source information you/musicians/studios/etc. that YOU/THEY provide is by far the ABSOLUTE best, given where we are at in todays times/music & where's it's heading (which at times I have NO IDEA, LOL!!!)?!...Thank you -Todd

[@koorblohnairb]

I love all of Rick’s interviews. He listens and understands that we’ve come to hear the artist firsthand. What a delight

[@alphabeets]

It’s magical when he plays those parts. So cooool!

[@johnkozlowski6993]

Love hearing the back stories, from different perspectives. I remember distinctly where I was when I first heard this track, it simply blew me away!

[@LadyCin611]

Aja is my all time favorite piece of music!

[@stephenwatson2056]

One of my favorite albums of all time. Even I was mesmerized by the construction.

[@bryancarpenter7470]

Steely Dan = musical manna from heaven.

[@markoberg9394]

I listened to the full interview with Omartian, then listened to a lot of other interviews of him, all very good and insightful. Omartian is a treasure, Beato naturally prompts Omar’s humble, remarkable and insightful stories and observations. A real pleasure listening to these two.

[@willmcgregor7184]

“Not typical “ is a great comment about their music = unique, memorable, interesting ETC!

[@danmayberry1185]

Glad Michael mentioned Your Gold Teeth (II) ... his Katy Lied parts are glorious earworms.

[@icerag]

"Its the limitations that make the artist -- its not the capabilities... They're operating at the absolute edge, and its just very cool" - Omartian

[@KeysMcGhee]

That piano sound 💙

[@MichaelMcBride58]

It’s wonderful to hear these stories about the making of my all-time favorite songs.

[@caseymacgill3428]

Thank you, Rick. that is such a great interview, and I love finding out how all that came together and how everybody was feeling about the music and the process

[@BednariksGhost]

So great! I hope you get to chat with every living soul from those sessions!

[@voicetube]

THIS is officially one of my favorite Rick Beato videos! Aja is certainly one of my favorite songs of all time and it's really cool to hear that some of the minutia that went into it!

[@randydavisman]

Omar's the best! Listen to his work on "Danny's song. Brialliant! I used to go to church with him in Franklin, Tn.

[@jezgraham]

What a great clip. I was first aware of Michael's playing on the early Loggins and Messina albums. Really cool to hear his insight into Aja, Loved hearing his examples at the piano and the cool conversation between you two. Bravo!

[@thorhenden6640]

Aja...the best ever.

[@ricksegal3065]

Excellent interviews Rick. You let people speak entirely without interrupting.

[@pdexBigTeacher]

Having only recently heard, and loved, “Stand by the Seawall,” I thought that tune was the starter dough for the “Aja” album as there were chords and phrases that are all over the ‘Aja’ album.

[@medannylee1]

We used this album to evaluate how good our high-end speakers performed. Great album. 👍

[@toroscholakyan1505]

Nice to see a fellow Armenian , so talented

[@colleenmonfross4283]

What a wonderful interview! I loved listening to Michael's recollections of playing my favorite Steely Dan song and how it came to be. Fantastic!

[@thomascovenant665]

"Its the limitations that make the artist, not their capabilities." Hugely insightful!

[@dalewier9735]

Like so many, i had bought a new system (norman lab 10s speakers, can't remember what i had for reciever at that time, but i had just bought new $400 stylis that i put on a pioneer turntables, i think, and i put on Josie to "test" the bass response, and my life changed. Don't have the system but i still listen to SD

[@mikew4646]

Thank you for doing this interview! So good and wish there were more to listen to.

[@rosafernandes2071]

Tenho grandes expectativas de ir a algum show dele ,para ouvir estas melodias que emballaram minha vida e hoje tenho a maturidade e a liberdade de me emocionar. Suas canções pura emoção,!!!!!! LINDAS😊😊😊

[@jeffwolinski2659]

This was great!!! What a musician and character!

[@AN-te4ij]

One of the best bands ever Definitely of the 70s

[@Calvinxx1]

Good interview and Aja is terrific. Steely Dan created some amazing music.

[@RocketBoy1969]

I love Aja and these interviews. Thank you Rick!

[@terenzo50]

As a vocalist, Donald has what every singer wishes for, but few possess -- uniqueness. He doesn't sound like anybody else and nobody else sounds like him. Only Donald Fagen sounds like Donald Fagen.

[@danmayberry1185]

Tom Waits, Ringo Starr, Willie Nelson, Leonard Cohen ... you wouldn't give them a singing job, and yet ...

[@terenzo50]

@@danmayberry1185 Yup. Also. There was a time we were awash with crooners many of whom sounded pleasant, but you'd have difficulty telling them apart. Not so with these guys.

[@jeffreyoldham55]

One doesn't have to be a musician to appreciate great music, but it certainly helps to understand how great musicians operate. I think it just comes down to being cool. 😎

[@Chasing72]

A corollary is musicians who are “good hangs” will, typically get a lot more work than someone who’s technically proficient but hard to deal with.

[@jeffreyoldham55]

You're right! I know that's how I've gotten sessions.

[@jimr5855]

Fantastic song, fantastic album!

[@davidfleuchaus]

11:00 truth Our limitations give us our unique texture. Add to that living at the edge of your abilities and you have the place to create from.

[@pamr4040]

This was great! I'll be watching the full interview soon! ❤

[@matthelmet1]

Masterpiece

[@MrEarldawkins]

Fantastic interview Rick, really informative from Michaels great musicianship with an amazing band Steely Dan. Been a fan from the 80s

[@surfgod509]

Pure Genius! (Coloring outside of the Box) is always Brilliant!

[@GuitarsOK]

Awesome stuff! Come on! Grew up in the 70’s and I didn’t care too much for Steely then….but, later…loved it all

[@mackermaldrill2656]

Great interview and great song.

[@dennisbishop3016]

This was fantastic, Rick.

[@TonyUnplugged]

My Favorite Omartian

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

I forgot how much I liked Steely Dan until these videos. I've been listening to a lot of Steely Dan, Donald Fagan and The Doobie Brothers

[@tabbennett4254]

Gold!

[@tonydesarzec907]

Just awesome!

[@hklinker]

Omartian was all over the Katy Lied album. It’s interesting to hear him describe how SD progressed and went beyond where the band was when he was more involved. He gave a nod to Victor Feldman and I can’t help but think he was referring to I Got the News and what Feldman did with the piano part on that.

[@rebelyellyoung]

07 ` 48 `` HILLARIOUS !! :) HEHE..WORTH LIVIN`, AMAZING DUDES, RICK AND OMAR```...THANX RICK FOR MAKIN` THIS...LONG LIVE !!

[@perlowmfm]

Nightly!!

[@johnfarnborough6424]

When you have Wayne Shorter and Steve Gadd, you don’t need too many vocals

[@franosbornblaschke3694]

Request show about Glamour Profession and the amazing bass work by Anthony Jackson. : )

[@BobRoden-vy8oi]

Watched the whole thing multiple times

[@bobcat6653]

fascinating!

[@pongmaster123]

its cool

[@splashesin8]

I remember the peculiar dislike some people had suddenly for Steely Dan and could never figure out why so vehement, about just Steely Dan then, and not some of the other bands that they didn't express frustration with. 😂 I think it was probably one or two songs they just became tired of hearing repeatedly all day on several radio stations over and over and over again. These were friends I knew that had as eclectic of record and sheet music collections as my own. I never did not like Steely Dan, but I also listened to lots of other music in all genres. At some point I didn't think everything could be catalogued into distinct genres. It made me laugh, that there were people who felt like everything had to be so organized, especially in music.

[@franosbornblaschke3694]

I did not "get" the complexity at first. It took me a while. ✌

[@ericarseneau1904]

I don't know how else I can tell rick what I would like to see but I would love to see him interview Daryl Hall about his amazing series Live at Daryl's House.

[@JayYarbroughMusic]

Hope you get an interview with Fagen.

[@meinkapu9899]

steely dan....uber alles!

[@Bazarasnevagzalas]

Why is there no recent conversation with the great Steve Khan for us all to see? Solo on Glamour Profession alone. But then there's Eyewitness album and so much more.

[@fullyduff5336]

Please interview Donald Fagan

[@noahwibe2827]

What a delicious piano sound I'm hearing. What microphones are used and effects?

[@TheDartsPub]

Time to hear from Donald Fagan! You've had everyone else on. 🙂

[@Serjodes]

🇧🇷😎🤘🏼

[@Funkybassplayer]

Man, I wish he would play more of that song Aja in this interview. That piano sounds A MA ZING❤️❤️❤️

[@martianmurray]

Omartian, we could be related lol

[@jtfritchie]

So time to get Fagan and Becker on. 🤞🏻🤞🏻

[@dtsdigitalden5023]

If Beato manages to interview Becker, we will know Beato is actually God ... lol.

[@xyzzy5821]

😊”you know, being a player, after you run something with someone else, you feel the way they feel something.” This is so elusive, but exists in every great band. It’s the band playing as a band, and not just an ensemble of separate musicians.

[@sdanjohn]

There just isn’t a bad Steely Dan song….

[@SpyTf2-dn6yl]

Facts

[@bertpeijmen6960]

Nice that Michael refers to the late great Victor Feldman as being ¨the bomb¨. I´ve seen quite a few interviews with musicians who contributed to Steely Dan albums but Victor´s input always seems to stay too much in the shadows. He played quite prominently on all of the first seven Steely Dan albums so I feel like maybe he deserves a bit more attention.

[@danmayberry1185]

Anyone who hasn't played with Victor Feldman, and vice versa, is not worth listening to.

[@CheetahSnowLeopard]

Maybe I missed something but why didn’t Fagen play his own parts for recordings?

[@MikesTropicalTech]

How frequent was it that Donald didn't play lead piano?

[@JJJJJVVVVVLLLLL]

reminds me of Erik Satie chords

[@gilldavidmour4199]

I don't understand, I thought Steve Gadd tracked the drum part as an overdub. ???

[@RW-ob4en]

I don't merit much voice here. Hearing Michael discuss the wild harmonies and their “nonsensical?” sounds and sequences…then later going with the flow on metric changes… Having some grounding in music theory I suspect sometimes we are biased because of our knowledge. Sound is sound at some point. The rules/regs we bring to it while certainly helping us wrap our heads around things can also have the effect of placing mental/aural/intellectual barriers up. Just stuff I think about.

[@earitch5856]

Will pay $5,000 for a Rick interview with Donald Fagen.

[@johndutchman]

Turns out: I don't like anyone who doesn't like Steely Dan . . . Hey, it's rare . . but there are some .. [redactedredactedredacted] out there !

[@karlen5774]

I've tried to like them, but I just can't. It's too techno to my ears.

[@jonwizard3989]

these bloody adverts...

[@basehead617]

This is a great interview but I really think a little too much ink and BS has been spilled about the Aja drum solo.. yeah it's good, but Rick seems almost obsessed with it..

[@PickinDoc]

Them: "I really don't like Steely Dan." Me: "Then I know you don't like to listen to great music, you probably just listen and like some songs."

[@Veaseify]

No, they just don't like Steely Dan - it isn't a crime for some music not to say anything to you. We don't need to intellectualise this stuff, people like what they like and that's it...

[@PickinDoc]

@@Veaseify Naw, these are the ones who've never listened to any Bach, Ornette, Jack deJohnette, Coleman, Mozart, BB King, Ellington, Stravinsky, Coltrain, etc, etc...usually think KISS is great music.

[@silverXnoise]

@@VeaseifyI agree with this, I don’t like to stake out tribal boundaries with music, there’s too much of that kind of thing in contemporary life already. I wasn’t always so magnanimous, I used to shit on pop music and act as if my tastes were somehow purer than others. That attitude prevented me from hearing and enjoying a great amount of music that I had no idea I’d been missing. Steely Dan is one example of an incredibly complex and skillful ensemble that I had never given its due. Some 15-years ago, my band’s guitarist changed that for me, opening my mind, and I have come to know Steely Dan as the tightest, most amazing group of players who compose songs with unparalleled depth and highly conceptual ideas that are so meticulously crafted and beautifully realized. Any fan of pop or rock can likely appreciate the technical prowess on display, the lock-step rhythms, and the innovative melodic journeys that are distinctive of Steely Dan’s inimitable style. If you’ve never listened closely to their music, I cannot recommend it enough. This is from an aging punk/hardcore adherent and fan of esoteric indie music, not a guy who consumes classic rock or pop with any regularity.

[@Veaseify]

@@silverXnoise I absolutely love Steely Dan but it isn't a big deal to me if other people don't. Basically the vast majority of people who listen to music are not musicians and they listen to music differently to people who can play an instrument to a reasonable level. Really what matters most to non-musicians is how good or charismatic the singer is, the actual band is just there to support the singer. So long instrumental passages are just the bits in between the singing that they have to endure or they just listen to music where the singing is absolutely the most important part of the song. Like pop music or hip hop....

[@xxczerxx]

SD is my absolute favourite band of all time, but I really don't like reading this kind of elitism...it's absolutely anyone's right not to like them. I hate the judgemental attitude.