NABU Wines welcomes STEELY JAM on Saturday, May 25th, at 8 p.m. and proudly pays homage to the sound, sense of humor, and sophisticated social satire Fagen and Becker created as Steely Dan.
May, 2024
Saturday Night with Steely Jam: A Night of Steely Dan
Event Details
As far as the members of Steely Jam are concerned, no other band over the decades has withstood the test of time – with the freshness, groove, wit, and class as the music of Steely Dan. We are a group of musicians committed to making it sound like Walter and Donald intended and feeling the way it should.
The Band
James Blake – vocals
We are happy to welcome our new lead singer, James Blake, to our Steely Jam family. James grew up in the Jazz-rich city of Kansas City and is a true artist (he plays multiple instruments, blows glass, throws pottery so the “wheel (is) turning round and round,” restores old Harleys to help support “midnight cruiser(s)”, draws, paints and restores old homes himself as a GC. As a singer, he has lent his “perfection and grace” to studios, film, and TV shows like American Horror Story, and has sung with Mavis Staples, Leon Bridges, and Dolly Parton, among many others.
We are happy to welcome our new lead singer, James Blake, to our Steely Jam family. James grew up in the Jazz-rich city of Kansas City and is a true artist (he plays multiple instruments, blows glass, throws pottery so the “wheel (is) turning round and round,” restores old Harleys to help support “midnight cruiser(s)”, draws, paints and restores old homes himself as a GC. As a singer, he has lent his “perfection and grace” to studios, film, and TV shows like American Horror Story, and has sung with Mavis Staples, Leon Bridges, and Dolly Parton, among many others.
Amanda Barnett, Stacie Gibbs – Vocals
Steely Dan’s songs are stories and narratives. And as such, it requires a suitable Greek chorus. Amanda and Stacie grace the Steely Dan stage with harmony at once elegant and powerful. Both accomplished recording artists in their own right, they are the perfect complement to the ensemble sound (and they both take the lead from time to time as well). When freedom is declared in My Old School, Amanda and Stacie sound the charge. When the Babylon Sisters shake it, they do the honors. And when the protagonist ruefully bemoans his lot in Hey Nineteen, Amanda and Stacie are there to make it all the better with the Cuervo Gold and the fine Columbian.
Mark Chosak – Guitar
Growing up in Los Angeles, Mark has lived and breathed this music for most of his life. He credits the beautiful and essential guitar parts created by such masters as Walter Becker, Larry Carlton, Jay Graydon, Denny Dias, Skunk Baxter, Elliot Randall, Steve Khan, and many more as the basis for his guitar education. A professional session guitarist and composer for film, TV, games, and advertising, Mark studied music at UCLA and The Grove School Of Music and has performed and recorded with many artists over the past 25 years.
Jory Schulman – Guitar
Jory Schulman attended Berklee College and USC and is currently on the faculty of Santa Monica College, also teaching in the Torrance Unified School District. His ear and feel for the music of Steely Dan are as natural as his unmistakably great solos.
Todd Richmond – Bass
Where there is a groove, there must be bass. In this case, it’s Todd Richmond. He entered college as a music major but somehow ended up with a Ph.D. in chemistry. Todd has played all over California for the past 40 years and gigs/albums in Japan and moves seamlessly between jazz, funk, folk, soul, and rock (and some bluegrass for good measure). No wonder he is at home playing the tunes of Becker and Fagen.
Ron Mendoza – Keyboards
You can’t just sit down and play this stuff, you have to live it. And Ron has been here before. A veteran of several Steely Dan bands, Ron knows this material better than just about anybody on the planet. A schooled, soulful keyboardist, Ron brings to life the inimitable Donald Fagen style.
Julie Sussman – Sax,
a.k.a. “Julie Sax” (formerly known as “Julie Flute”) grew up in New York. She attended Berklee College of Music in Boston and studied with legendary masters Joe Viola, Jerry Bergonzi, Herb Pomeroy, and Phil Wilson, among others, honing her jazz abilities. Her almost 20-year span playing Latin music in New York solidified her command of tight horn section playing. Now she is a California resident where she plays a variety of musical genres, ranging from saxophone quartets to small jazz ensembles to swing bands to original R&B groups to blues bands to – most recently – Steely Jam and Shine On-the Pink Floyd Experience.
Keith Fiddmont – Saxes
Frederick (Keith) Fiddmont moved to Los Angeles in 1991 after leaving the legendary vibraphonist Lionel Hampton to begin a two-year stint with singer Rickie Lee Jones. He has recorded or performed live with such legends as Stevie Wonder, Luis Miguel, Diana Krall, Christian McBride, Marcus Miller, James Brown, The Temptations, Jennifer Holliday, Natalie Cole, Nancy Wilson, and B.B. King (Grammy award-winning One Kind Favor), as well as gifted artists like Wayne Brady, Billy Childs, Queen Latifah, Michael Buble, and John Pizzarelli. His tenor helps the Steely Jam sound soar.
John Platero – Drums
John has been playing drums longer then he’s been brushing his teeth. His grandmother gave him a drum set at age two, and he’s never stopped. With over 40 years of experience in various musical styles, John is honored to play tribute to the top studio drummers in the world. Steve Gadd, Jim Keltner, Jeff Porcaro, Bernard Purdie, Rick Marotta, Ed Greene, Paul Humphrey, and James Gadson are the foundation for the Steely Dan catalog. To have the privilege to play tribute to these drummers is both a joy and a challenge.
GUEST KITCHEN: AZTLAN MEX at 6pm
