Dukes of Sept Rhythm Review Review ---Fagen/Scaggs/McDonald

Great show at a nice venue (Humphreys by the Bay, San Diego...but more about that in an "other topics" post) last night.

I have never been a big fan of Michael McDonald or Boz Scaggs, but a big Donald Fagen/Steely Dan fan. (ask me my Walter Becker story lol).  Im very much guitar oriented and the blue eyed soul of MM and the lighter pop/blues of "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" never did it for me in my harder rock days.

The focus of the Dukes shows is revisiting not only their songs but the songs they were listening to when they were coming up. So you get Marvin Gaye, Sly and the Family Stone, Mickey and Sylvia, Gladys Knight etc "covers" from a superb band of headliners, backed up by what is basically the recent Steely Dan touring band, including Jon Herrington (I somehow manage to forget just how good and tasty his licks are  between shows), the SD horns, Jim Beard on keyboards and the gorgeous (sounding I mean, ahem)  Carolyn Leonhart and powerful Catherine Russell doing backup and a few duets. They have a different drummer, Sherman? from Nashville or Memphis?...My net connection is bad tonite..I'll correct this later, who was very good as well. You cant get Keith Carlock every time you see Fagen after all!  Michael Leonhart's trumpet was up front a lot, and he is just awesome.

Despite my past preferences, I was blown away again by Bozz Scaggs. His voice has improved with age if anything, and he is a much better guitar player than his older hits reveal. He did a duet with Catherine Russell that was just beautiful..a tears in the eyes moment..I'll listen to my recording tomorrow and figure out just what it was...Not  "Love TKO" which I believe he sang solo and played some great guitar. I would have loved more Boz and less Michael McDonald ("Taking it To the Streets" and "What a Fool Believes", maybe another "White Lightning" hit). Since I was never a fan, and since his voice can no longer hit the high notes he has to shift everything to a lower register except some really forced and hoarse stuff up high, his songs were more nostalgia then great music for me. His soundcheck was awful, thank goodness the show was a bit better).  His backup singing is still hard to beat though, with a great sense of harmony and how to complement the lead, not overpower it.

The Steely Dan songs were the top of their list imo.."Kid Charlemagne", "Pretzel Logic", "Reelin in the Years" (Herrington copies Elliot Randall note for note early and then just kills it with his own licks later) and  "Peg" (a bit worn imo, but worn SD is better than fresh most for my taste).

I'd love to get up to the Gibson Thursday, but not much chance Im afraid.

Catch them if they are in your town and you grew up with that strange mix of music I had the good fortune to hear (Motown, R&B and SD!) you wont be sorry!