The Steve Gadd Collection Vol. 3
At last, here”s the third Steve Gadd mix “” with the Steely Dan track featuring what many regard as one of the most iconic drum solos ever. It was also the first ever drum solo on a Dan record.
Gadd”s versality is on show here: from the disco-pop of Leo Sayer”s opener and the soul tunes of Bill Withers and Aretha Franklin to the faux-reggae of 10cc to the folk-rock of Judy Collins, and lots of stuff in-between. Don”t be fooled by this being a third Gadd mix, with the notion that this might be a collection of left-overs. Just see the Steve Gadd Collections Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 for the diversity of acts he has drummed for, and then imagine how many more mixes there might have been. But three must suffice, so we can move on to other session giants.
Al Jarreau already featured on the first mix, and policy prevents repeat acts in this series (though I am cheating a little with Grover Washington Jr; it is really Bill Withers I wanted here). But I include Jarreau”s remarkable Spain as a bonus track, partly for Gadd”s superb drumming on it “” a masterclass “” and partly for Al”s reworking, with his own added lyrics, of Chick Corea”s 1973 instrumental which in turn borrowed from the adagio from Rodrigo”s Concierto de Aranjuez.
As always: CD-R length, covers, PW in comments.
1. Leo Sayer – You Make Me Feel Like Dancing (1976)
2. Andy Gibb – Desire (1980)
3. Rickie Lee Jones – Pirates (So Long Lonely Avenue) (1981)
4. Steely Dan – Aja (1977)
5. Lee Ritenour with Bill Champlin – Morning Glory (1978)
6. Gladys Knight & The Pips – Little Bit Of Love (1977)
7. Margie Joseph – Sign Of The Times (1975)
8. Aretha Franklin – Sing It Again – Say It Again (1974)
9. Bill Withers & Grover Washington Jr – Just The Two Of Us (1981)
10. Spyro Gyra – Oasis (1982)
11. Melba Moore – Get Into My Mind (1975)
12. Patti Austin – More Today Than Yesterday (1976)
13. Dionne Warwick – Heartbreaker (1982)
14. 10cc – Oomachasaooma (Feel The Love) (1983)
15. Elliott Randall – Samantha (1977)
16. Judy Collins – Angel, Spread Your Wings (1975)
17. Jim Croce – Five Short Minutes (1973)
18. Arif Mardin – Dark Alleys (1974)
Bonus track: Al Jarreau – Spain (1980)
Previous session musicians” collection:
The Steve Gadd Collection Vol. 1
The Steve Gadd Collection Vol. 2
The Bernard Purdie Collection Vol. 1
The Bernard Purdie Collection Vol. 2
The Ricky Lawson Collection Vol. 1
The Ricky Lawson Collection Vol. 2
The Jim Gordon Collection Vol. 1
The Jim Gordon Collection Vol. 2
The Hal Blaine Collection Vol. 1
The Hal Blaine Collection Vol. 2
The Bobby Keys Collection
The Louis Johnson Collection
The Bobby Graham Collection
The Jim Keltner Collection Vol. 1
The Jim Keltner Collection Vol. 2
The Ringo Starr Collection
PW = amdwhah
Thanks for the latest version of Steve Gadd
Great share from a very talented artist
Regards
Rhod
I have a very good jazz-funk album by Richard Tee with Steve Gadd on the drums, “NATURAL INGREDIENTS”, a favorite of mine from 1980, the year I purchased it and the same year when was published. There’s a lot of very good session players (whit a individual career or not) that deserves your magic touch: Norman Harris, Eric Gale, Willie Clarke, Vincent Montana,…
Oh, Eric Gale… what a good idea. When I get to the guitarists, he might follow Larry Carlton. Gales “Blue Horizon” is an all-time favourite.
All three of your tasty compilations have surprised me one way or another with the sheer versatility of the man in many and varied musical styles. You might say he’s quite the gadfly! And that Dan track has always been a bit of alright. Cheers for this.