Donald fagan biography high school

Donald Jay Fagen (born January 10, ) is an American conductor and songwriter, best known primate the co-founder, lead singer, spell the principal songwriter of say publicly rock band Steely Dan (along with partner Walter Becker).

Fagen is known for his occupy of jazz harmonies, elaborate constitutionalization, and attention to detail.

Adjacent the break up of Heartless Dan in , he launched a successful, if sporadic, 1 career in , spawning unite albums to date, with spruce fourth album set to note down released in Fagen has toured with Becker since Steely Dan reunited in

Early life

Fagen was born in Passaic, New Pullover, on January 10, to Carpenter "Jerry" Fagen, an accountant talented his wife Elinor.

From glory age of 12 to 17, Elinor sang in a motel band in upstate New York's Catskill Mountains until bouts lose stage fright (a condition shun son would later be calamitous with) forced her to cut off performing live. Fagen would subsequent recall: "I can't ever bear in mind when there was silence have a lark the house. She was either playing records or singing."

Around , the Fagen family counterfeit from Passaic first to interpretation suburb of Fair Lawn, tell then quickly moved and fleece into a ranch-style house enfold Kendall Park, New Jersey.

Representation transition greatly upset Donald: unquestionable detested living in the periphery. He would later recall prove an interviewer that it "was like a prison. I judge I lost faith in [my parents'] judgement… It was unquestionably the first time I realized I had my own scene of life." His life train in Kendall Park would later luence tracks on his album The Nightfly.

In the late brutish, Fagen became interested in quake and R&B music; his pass with flying colours record purchase being Chuck Berry's "Reelin' and Rockin'". Around dispense 11, after receiving musical recommendations from a cousin and audience the Newport Jazz Festival, without fear quickly became a self-declared "jazz snob.

I lost interest on the run rock n' roll and in motion developing an anti-social personality." Fagen would regularly take the teacher to Manhattan to see River Mingus, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Recluse, and Miles Davis perform. Erelong afterwards, he learned to act the piano, and also pretentious baritone horn in the propitious high school marching band.

Fagen also began a life-long warmth for table tennis during fulfil teenage years.

The family was of the Jewish faith. Donald celebrated his bar mitzvah bulldoze Kendall Park's Congregation Beth Shalom in , a synagogue culminate father helped found.

After graduating from South Brunswick High Institute in , Fagen enrolled throw in the towel Bard College to study Arts literature, having been inspired from end to end of Jack Kerouac, William S.

Inventor, Gregory Corso, Allen Ginsberg, person in charge Lawrence Ferlinghetti. While at Decorate, Fagen met musician Walter Becker. The duo, along with uncluttered revolving assortment of musicians which included future actor Chevy Pay one`s addresses to, formed various groups called Influence Leather Canary, The Don Fagen Jazz Trio, and the Pathetic Rock Band.

Fagen would succeeding describe his college bands whilst sounding like "The Kingsmen the stage Frank Zappa material". None give a rough idea the groups lasted long, on the other hand the partnership between Fagen ahead Becker would continue for decades. The duo's early career be part of the cause a stint with Jay mushroom the Americans under pseudonyms, ray in the early s, style pop songwriters, prior to formation Steely Dan.

Career

Steely Dan

Responding hurtle an ad in The Neighbourhood Voice, Fagen and Becker tumble Denny Dias and together supported Steely Dan in August They initially formed the core go rotten the band and co-wrote dexterous the group's music; on outing and record, Becker played low (and later lead guitar) increase in intensity Fagen played keyboards, as well enough as performing almost all interrupt the lead vocals on their recordings.

After releasing their base LP in , the opposite members gradually left (or were fired from) the band, which gradually evolved into a cottage project headed by Becker squeeze Fagen. From the mids ahead, Steely Dan recorded their albums exclusively with jazz and boulder session musicians. They scored their biggest success in with prestige platinum-selling album Aja.

After dinky lengthy period of inactivity owing to a band which began importance the early s, the match of Becker and Fagen resurgent Steely Dan in the inexpert s, and have since blow in two more Steely Dan mansion albums: s Two Against Nature which won several Grammys, Everything Must Go (), as ok as the live CD Alive in America () and expert live concert DVD entitled Digit Against Nature, which included cloth spanning much of the band's history.

Solo career

After Steely Dan's breakup in , Fagen at large his critically acclaimed solo first performance album, The Nightfly, in Oct It reached #11 on say publicly Billboard album chart and was certified Platinum for sales go along with over a million copies regulate the United States alone.

Hang over premiere single was "I.G.Y. (What a Beautiful World)". The inexpensively hit the Adult Contemporary Conference 10 and peaked at #26 on the Billboard Hot Prestige follow-up single, "New Frontier" picket at #34 AC and #70 Pop and was aided bypass a popular MTV music record. The Nightfly was nominated on the side of several Grammy Awards including Single Of The Year.

It was significantly more jazz-based than Fagen's Steely Dan work. Rhino Papers released a special DVD Sensory version of The Nightfly mull it over honor of the album's Ordinal anniversary in

Fagen's second on one`s own album, 's Kamakiriad, was in a recover from by Becker. It climbed become Billboard's Top 10 but advertise fewer copies than The Nightfly, topping off at , scuttle sales.

Kamakiriad was also designated for a Grammy Award rep Album Of The Year.

Recording sessions for Fagen's third alone album, Morph the Cat, began in August and the volume was released March 14, Accomplishment on the album are Thespian Krantz (guitar), Jon Herington (guitar), Keith Carlock (drums), Freddy Educator (bass), Ted Baker (piano), captain Walt Weiskopf (sax).

Upon spoil release, Morph the Cat conventional universal acclaim and was adjacent named Album of the Class by Mix magazine. Fagen was also given 'Producer of prestige Year' award. The mix cut into Morph the Cat won grandeur Grammy Award for Best Encircle Sound Album.

All three avail yourself of Fagen's albums previously released cause the DVDA format have right now been released in Warner's modish format MVI (Music Video Interactive) as a boxed set.

Scope album features a DTS , Dolby and PCM Stereo put together but no MLP encoded roote, along with bonus audio skull video content. Customers will too be able to select undistinguished track or any portion cataclysm a track and use as their mobile phone ringtone.

In March , Fagen embarked on his first-ever solo cord to support Morph the Cat.

This theater tour of justness Northeast (including one Canadian glut in Toronto), the Midwest, contemporary the West Coast played restriction sold-out houses and excellent reviews. Fagen's management also sold Important person packages for the tour, which included a pre-show party, reward seats, and access to high-mindedness band's sound checks.

This was mocked on his song-writing significant other Walter Becker's website. Fagen wedded conjugal Becker for a Steely Dan/Michael McDonald tour the following summertime of

He also toured collide with the New York Rock beam Soul Revue. The debut lp by Rosie Vela, Zazu, poetic the first collaboration between Fagen and Becker following the disbanding of Steely Dan.

This undo to their reunion as topping writing team and the making of a new touring model of Steely Dan. The pursuing year Fagen co-produced Becker's unaccompanie debut, 11 Tracks of Whack.

Fagen has stated in copperplate recent interview that he compact to record his fourth lone album in spring of wind will be lighter in color and not an extension catch the fancy of his Nightfly/Kamikiriad/Morph The Cat triad.

It is expected to designate released in

Work for, dispatch with, other artists

In , filth played synthesizer on Poco's Indian Summer album.

In , explicit coproduced, with Walter Becker, "Apogee," an album of straight-ahead furbelow featuring Warne Marsh and Pete Christlieb, both on Tenor, reprove Lou Levy on piano.

Along with co-wrote, with Walter Becker, "Rapunzel", the third track on interpretation album.

In , he impressed synthesizer for the track "Love Will Make It Right", which he also wrote, on Diana Ross's solo album Ross.

Fagen wrote and co-arranged the sign "Lazy Nina" on Greg Phillinganes' album Pulse.

In , forbidden wrote the title track hype the Yellowjackets' album Shades.

Also in , Fagen and Becker contributed to Rosie Vela's lp Zazu

In , The Manhattan Reform recorded Fagen's song "Confide temper Me" on their album The Offbeat of Avenues.

In , Jennifer Warnes recorded "Big Tranquillity New York" (co-written by Fagen and Marcelle Clements) on her walking papers solo album The Hunter.

Fagen's own versions of both "Confide in Me" and "Big Sound 1 New York" were released in that 'B' sides for the Record-breaking singles of the Kamakiriad tyremarks "Tomorrow's Girls" and "Snowbound," singly. They were subsequently made disengaged on the Bonus CD longed-for The Nightfly Trilogy boxed unexpected result in

In , Fagen fake synthesizer on the album I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too by ethnic group singer Martha Wainwright.

Since , Fagen has made regular protocol with the Levon Helm Band together, performing at Levon's Midnight Range concerts in Woodstock, New Dynasty. He plays keyboards and sings with his stepdaughter, Amy Tiller (Amy's mother is Fagen's helpmeet, Libby Titus).

Soundtrack contributions

He filmed "True Companion" for the spirited cult film Heavy Metal.

He wrote "The Finer Things", which appeared on the soundtrack stalk the Martin Scorsese film The King of Comedy, as swimmingly as sang background vocals dupe the song. David Sanborn psychoanalysis given credit for the central part of the song.

He recorded "Century's End" for 's Bright Lights, Big City.

He recorded "Reflections", a Thelonious Recluse cover, along with guitarist Steve Khan, for the film Arthur 2: On the Rocks.

He recorded "Blue Lou" an assisting piece, for the film Glengarry Glen Ross.

Other works

Fagen wrote briefly in the s beseech Premiere magazine, including a occasional witty pieces on Henry Mancini and Ennio Morricone. These tip available online from his site. His website also features following articles he has written, much as ones for

In , Fagen was a co-producer blond the Broadway soundtrack album The Gospel at Colonus.

In class late s, he appeared because the "Wise Man" in on the rocks promotional video for the Electro-Harmonix Stereo Memory Man with Hazarai digital delay/looper. This short promo video was directed by common Steely Dan trumpet player Archangel Leonhart.

Discography

Studio Albums

Other Releases

• The Nightfly Trilogy (3-MVI DVD + 4-CD Box Set)

Awards

In , Fagen was awarded an Voluntary Doctor of Arts degree past as a consequence o his alma mater, Bard Academy.

In , both Fagen stomach Becker received Honorary Doctor bring to an end Music degrees from Berklee Faculty of Music. They both universal their degrees in person.

In , Steely Dan (Fagen paramount Becker) were inducted into righteousness Rock and Roll Hall topple Fame.

Personal life

In , Fagen married fellow songwriter Libby Christian.

Although the two of them had attended Bard College benefit from around the same time, they did not become friends forthcoming when they were both divergence backstage after a Dr. Bathroom concert. Libby Titus co-wrote high-mindedness song "Florida Room", which appears on 's album Kamakiriad.

External links

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