While we appreciate the fact that Walter Becker (Steely Dan) has found yet another guitar worthy of being added to the collection, we do wish - from the bottom of our middle-aged hearts - that he'd get that next solo album announcement out and about. That way we wouldn't have to resort to reporting him buying more gear. Because that is what's popping up on our automated Google alert trying to find all the news about Walter as it becomes available on the web.

Just now we got the news that Chuck from Cp Thornton Guitars in Sumner, Maine has sold his Legend #297 to Walter Becker. Great news for Chuck. Congrats from Radio Dupree.

And with one more guitar we're sure there's no excuse for Walter to not get busy making some new music.

Thanks in advance.

Oh! And this post would not be complete with a link to the article about G.A.S. (Guitar Aquiaition Syndrome) that Walter wrote back in the day..

Catherine Russell on Donald's new one

The Steely Dan fan's BlueBook board is a great place for news and tidbits about the band in question as well as Donald Fagen's and Walter Becker's solo work.

Today fan Rob who saw Catherine Russel in concert yesterday had the chance to talk to her after the show. According to Rob she told him she's done backing vocals on Donald's new album and calls it "a really nice CD".

Catherine has been touring with Steely Dan since 2008 and can be heard on Donald's Kamakiriad from 1993 and Steely Dan's Everything Must Go from 2003.

Her latest solo record is called Strictly Romancin' and was released three months ago. More here: catherinerussell.net

Donna Summer dies

"The Queen of Disco", LaDonna Adrian Gaines, dies of lung cancer at 63.

And even if she is firmly associated with the disco era of the 1970's her career continued after that. She had the voice and talent to keep on going.

Disco was - and is - a type of popular music that never stood very high in favor with critics the "serious music fan". When Donna released Crayons in 2008 - her first studio album in 17 years - she said:

"I do not think they made ​​fun of my music as much as they made ​​fun of some of the music that maybe came as a result of that whole genre. But I do think in the course of time it is nice to reestablish something and to say, 'Okay, this stood the test of time ...' I have nothing to prove to anyone. I just get out there and do my best, and those who love it, great. and those who do not, they 'll move on to something else. "

Her work with producer/composer Giorgio Moroder influenced countless other artists, disco and beyond. What few know is that she co-wrote a lot of her hits.
As an example I Feel Love that was totally new, exciting and like nothing you'd heard before when it was released in 1977:



And here's how a live band tries to play that sythesizer-heavy song on The Midnight Special in 1978:


Oh! And flirting with that old disco sound on her latest release; To Paris With Love, that made #1 on the dance charts in 2010:


Bonus! A short but sweet piano and vocals verson of Let It Be with Jools Holland on BBC:


Read more:
"Donna Summer's disco was as radical as punk"
"Donna Summer: Is there life after disco?" (1978 article/interview)

St. Vincent "Cheerleader"

Nice video!

Gail releases Roxy CD to finance Roxy DVD

Radio Dupree just got a message from zappa.com and Gail Zappa. "...the details of our plan for the next Official Release is bundled in a unique opportunity to participate in a special, social experiment".
There seems to be quite a lot of work left on the long avaited Roxy DVD (Frank & The Mothers live 1973), and we get the impression that they will release a Roxy soundtrack CD to get more money to finish the DVD. 
Well, here is what Gail says: 

Hello Boys & Girls,

About 10 Years Ago, shortly after Al Gore invented the internet, we here at UMRK, where we feel it is our duty … decided to announce plans for the Roxy Performances to be unleashed at last on a wholly suspecting public and others besides.  What We Knew Then compared to What We Know Now about what is possible is something completely different.  I could romanticize and say that over here at the Other Side of the Miracle of Time & Space there is nothing stopping us but the Movie Monster.  Every Monster Movie has at least one.  Our Movie Monster is THE BUDGET.

Because of the condition the condition was in - no synch, no idea what was what, no idea of the actual coverage, no idea of the quality;  all the et ceterae that caused FZ to abandon the project completely - it took all this time (if you include all the other priorities and distractions) to get to this point, so near and yet so far:  All of the footage has now been transferred on a best light basis into HD and all camera angles have been "synched" by eye and heart and hand and edit to the original Nagra tapes.  We now need to identify all usable camera angles and begin the actual edit.  Still, we have miles to go in order to bring the best of the possibilities to a screen near you.  And we need your help.

We still have a few wrinkles but our irons are hot and the details of our plan for the next Official Release is bundled in a unique opportunity to participate in a special, social experiment designed to open lots of doors for all Artists and their fans everywhere.  Participate and You'll be First.  First with your own copy of a Soundtrack to The Roxy Performances.  First with your name credited in The Roxy Performances, The Movie.  And there are more Firsts.  Stay Tuned.

But first, a word from our sponsors.  We'll be back with all the relevant details right after the other Mothers' Day.

Thank you for your kind attention to this matter.

gz

Paul, congratulations to The Polar Music Prize!

Cheer up, Paul Simon. You're invited to Sweden.

Not a bad choice for this year's Polar Music Prize, Paul Simon. And we bet that the other recipient, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, is pretty good on what he does too.
The Swedish award is given in recognition of "exceptional achievements in the creation and advancement of music".

Donald Fagen celebrates Bob Dylan

According to this notice on jambands.com Donald Fagen is one of the artists set to play the 3rd Annual Woodstock Day School Soundout – Bob Dylan Birthday Celebration at the Bearsville Theater, Woodstock, New York on Friday, May 18.

Other artists include Amy Helm, Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams, Carl Newman, Aaron Freeman (Ween), Mike + Ruthy, Doug Yoel, Zee Avi and Connor Kennedy.

Scott, Fagen, Leonhart

Scott Hull, Donald Fagen and Michael Leonhart.
Photo: http://www.masterdisk.com

Sunday April 29 we wrote that Donald Fagen's next solo album reportedly has been mastered.
It took place at Masterisk i New York and on the company's homepage we found this photo of three guys, hopefully satified with the finished album.

Scott Hull is the Mastering Engineer.  He's worked on close to 1 500 albums including Donald Fagen's Kamakiriad (1993), Steely Dan's Two Against Nature (2000) and Definitive Collection (2006).

Is that Michael Leonhart's producer's cap? ;)

Ziggy Stardust 40th anniversary edition

Now you can pre-order your copy of the 40th anniversary edition of the classic David Bowie album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders from Mars.
On June 4th 2012 EMI will release a special 40th anniversary edition of the album. This edition has been remastered by original Trident Studios' engineer Ray Staff. It will be available on CD and a special, limited edition format of vinyl featuring the new 2012 remaster with a 5.1 mix and high resolution audio on DVD, including previously unreleased 5.1 and stereo bonus 2003 Ken Scott mixes of Moonage Daydream (instrumental), The Supermen, Velvet Goldmine and Sweet Head.
http://www.davidbowiecatalogue.com/?utm_campaign=ziggystardust&utm_medium=email_link&utm_source=preorder_mail

Donald Fagen on Amnesty International benefit song

He's one of 50 or so artists taking part in Toast To Freedom, but since Radio Dupree is somewhat extra interested in the news about Steely Dan we focus this piece of news on Donald's participation.

The song is one more of those where artists are gathered - face to face or with the help of technology - to sing/play a sentence or two on a song written to raise awareness and money for a cause or organisation. This one for Amnesty International celebrating 50 years and its work for human rights.

More about the song on the official website:

http://www.toasttofreedom.org

Here's the making-of video:


And here's the full length seven minute version of the song:

The Nightfly is back ... on vinyl!

Donald Fagen's classic solo debut from 1982 is once again available on vinyl. May 8 is the date when Warner Brothers will release the album on 180 gram vinyl in the US of A. Other countries will have it May 7 or 9.

Complete with lyric insert and Stoughton paper-wrapped jacket.

It's not the first time The Nightfly has been re-released on vinyl. An probably not the last.

In the US the going price seem to be around 26-27 dollars.

Radio Dupree Top 20 - May 2012

1. Focus - Focus III
Focus 3

2. Frank Zappa - Sharleena
Chunga's Revenge

3. Bo Hansson - Lothlorien
Sagan Om Ringen

4. Jethro Tull - Locomotive Breath
Living In The Past

5. Fox - He's Got Magic
Fox

6. David Bowie - Black Country Rock
The Man Who Sold The World

7. The Moody Blues - Dawn: Dawn Is A Feeling
Days Of Future Passed

8. Electric Light Orchestra - Last Train To London
Discovery

9. Steely Dan - Green Book
Everything Must Go

10. Steely Dan - East St. Louis Toodle-oo
Pretzel Logic

11. Steely Dan - Pixeleen - Everything Must Go
12. Sting - Moon Over Bourbon Street - The Dream Of The Blue Turtles
13. Steely Dan - Lunch With Gina - Everything Must Go
14. Pink Floyd - A Pillow Of Winds - Meddle
15. Carole King - Beautiful - Tapestry
16. Wishbone Ash - Sometime World - Argus
17. The Rolling Stones - Prodigal Son - Beggars Banquet
18. U2 - Running To Stand Still - The Joshua Tree
19. Utopia - Shinola - Swing To The Right
20. Michael Leonhart - The Ballad Of Milton Quigley - The Ballad Of Milton Quigley

-------------------------------------------------------
Chart compiled by listeners voting
on the songs they hear on Radio Dupree

A quick look at this month's chart and we notice that our number one last month; Carole King, is still hanging in there at 15, our Album of the Moth artists Wishbone Ash managed to get one track into the Top 20 at 16 and quirky British 1970's pop outfit Fox surprised us all by landing at 5. But it's Dutch at the summit thanks to a track from the band Focus third album released back in 1972.

Brecker plays Steely Dan and Zappa

Live on stage at the club Blue Note in New York tonight (May 1): http://www.bluenote.net/newyork/schedule/moreinfo.cgi?id=9894