How does Donald Fagen do it?


It seems, to my ears, that Donald Fagen is able to get an amazing sound out of a mixing board, much better than other producers can.  I have read that he is a perfectionist and uses extreme attention to detail when in the studio.  Do you notice the same thing in his recordings?  A shout out to the late Walter Becker too.
128x128mikeydee
Since the pandemic started I have been working out in the mornings
while listening to "Alive in America."  Nothing else will do!
Hate steely and his nasaly, annoying voice. I wish Dan would sing. Dan always takes the back seat to Steely. Poor feller. 
stuogawa, I have some friends that attended Berkeley in Boston. My old pianist from a jazz trio I played in when I was junior high went on to Berkeley after high school. Berkeley a little easier to get into than Juilliard or CCM but their playing skills are right on. Plus Berkeley is a big school and so there are more opportunities to play in ensembles. The thing about jazz and popular music is that being able to transcribe four part Mozart piano sonatas isn’t really important. Some conservatory graduates over think jazz. It’s really about listening not thinking.
We met the band in Nice Airport, flying out early the day after a great concert in the Sporting Club, Monaco.  Fagen was really friendly, outgoing and talkative, lovely guy, sitting with the two girl backing singers.

Becker was sitting by himself the other side of the nearly empty lounge.  Even (especially?) Fagen wasn't paying him mind.
Everything Must Go is a very good Dan lp, very overlooked. It may have been the last Dan studio record with Becker.  I have them all, as well as Fagen solo lps. You can get Kamikiriad (sp?) on vinyl in the Cheap Christmas box set. Also re: 11 Tracks of Whack, yes! Someone needs to do it on vinyl!! Seen the Dan twice with Becker. First time with Wayne Krantz on guitar in Charleston, SC for the Art Crimes tour, 3rd row, center. First show of the tour. Reportedly Becker was into history so the story was they rehearsed tour in Charleston thus the kickoff. Who knows if this is true. Anyway, anyone got a vinyl copy of Two Against Nature to sell? LOL!! Talk about one that needs to be more reasonably priced on vinyl!!