Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Steely Dan
Label: Universal Music Group
Release: 1980
Running time: 37:58
Rating: 5/5
“Gaucho” carried the thankless status of being the last studio product to come out of the jazz-rock perfectionist workshop known as Steely Dan for a full twenty years, right up until their triumphant return with “Two Against Nature” (2000). It was also the last sign of life from the band between the project’s breakup in 1981 and their reunion in 1991. The conditions that shaped the creative and recording process of this album could only end one way: with a long break, which, as it turned out later, did them good. The legendary duo, led by singer/keyboardist Donald Fagen and bassist/guitarist Walter Becker, had hit the creative and commercial peak of their career with the previous album, “Aja” (1977), so the expectations of music gourmets for yet another new masterpiece were, understandably, daunting. The hunger for new Steely Dan music had never been bigger, so probably nobody imagined, not even the steely duo themselves, that the recording process would drag on for so long.
Trouble dogged the genius jazz-rock pair literally at every step. Becker was dealing with a whole pile of personal problems at the time. The first blow came when his girlfriend at the time was found dead in their shared apartment. The cause: a drug overdose. Becker had to defend himself in court against a murder charge. Luckily, it ended in his favor, with the proceedings dropped. But he was badly shaken afterward by assorted gossipy media outlets, all competing to see who could print the nastiest smears about him. At the same time, he was also battling his own addiction to intoxicating substances. Not long after the unfortunate girl’s death, on top of everything else, he was hit by a taxi while crossing the street and injured his right leg. Still, he never lost his sense of black humor. In one interview he described the taxi accident by saying that he and the cab had “tried to change the laws of quantum physics by occupying the same space at the same time”.
On the professional front, things went anything but smoothly either. For starters, the project ran into a string of misunderstandings with their label at the time, MCA Records. Because of special obligations written into the contract, the label kept them from releasing a new album any faster, and the option of ending the partnership was off the table too. But the worst blow to the two musical perfectionists was a nasty studio mishap, when recording engineer Roger Nichols accidentally erased almost the entire track “The Second Arrangement”. They were incredibly proud of that piece, so it’s no surprise that Fagen walked out of the studio without a word after Nichols broke the bad news. They tried in vain to re-record the ambitious piece, then gave up on it and turned to writing somewhat less ambitious compositions. Even so, a few shorter demo versions of that song can still be found today, on the sound-quality level of bootlegs, of course.
Another hit to their songwriting pride came from an accusation by legendary jazz composer Keith Jarrett. He claimed the pair had borrowed part of his composition “Long As You Know You’re Living Yours” for the title track. Under threat of a lawsuit, they were forced to credit Jarrett as a songwriter on the track and give him a share of the profits from its future releases. Fagen admitted he’d long adored that Jarrett composition, and that he’d been strongly under its influence when creating the “disputed” Steely Dan song. The legendary duo’s reputation took a real beating at the time. But even the blackest clouds clear sooner or later, and in the end the redeeming sun shone for these most notorious musical anti-heroes too.
Despite all the piled-up troubles, “Gaucho” finally came out and (once again) brought them massive commercial success, with double-platinum sales and a great chart placing for the hit single “Hey Nineteen”. It also earned them a nomination for the prestigious Grammy award. The two masters of songwriting and instrumental chops proved themselves once more with superb compositions that blended their trademark jazz-rock sophistication with rainbow-colored instrumental and vocal harmonies. For the most part they stuck to the same recipe that gave its predecessor “Aja” its legendary status, except that most of the compositions on “Gaucho” are a bit shorter and more compact. Refined horn arrangements sit on easygoing rhythmic foundations and juicy riffs, making for seriously seductive tunes. They lodge themselves in the ear of every music gourmet incredibly fast, and of more casual listeners too. Through it all, the two old foxes still found plenty of room to show off their outstanding soloing skills, alongside a veritable sea of top-shelf session players. The list of musicians was the most extensive of their career, if not the best, and among others it featured legendary names like Mark Knopfler, Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, Hiram Bullock, Steve Khan, etc. Gary Katz, meanwhile, delivered one of the best productions in jazz and rock of the day for one last time. Over the two years it took to make, the album was recorded in no fewer than five different locations.
Even though “Gaucho” has a romantic and laid-back atmosphere, it’s still incredibly rich and complex music when it comes to the polish of the individual arrangements and harmonies. At a time when jazz fusion had mostly watered down and lost its former creative fire, and smooth jazz in particular was gaining more and more popularity, Steely Dan with their jazz pop rock were still something completely unique. All seven tracks prove it, from the seductive opening hit “Babylon Sisters” to the melancholic closer “Third World Man”.
The classic “Babylon Sisters” is pretty much the perfect specimen of Steely Dan’s trademark subtlety and romance. Fagen’s superb singing, backed in the choruses by erotic female harmonies, instantly conjures up the vibe of evening bars and street decadence, while delicious horn arrangements supply plenty of energy. The erotic charge of the female vocal harmonies is incredible and used for maximum effect. The unforgettable hit single “Hey Nineteen” is a lovely incarnation of jazz-rock sophistication, with keyboard and horn arrangements providing outstanding playfulness, while the guitar riffs rank among the most distinctive in their story. Rich vocal harmonies deliver lyrics full of cheeky, but by no means indecent, teenage sexual innuendo.
On the excellent “Glamour Profession”, the most complex piece on the album, the lyrics and funky rhythmic patterns revive some of that Caribbean charm already heard on a few of their earlier pieces. The charismatic vocal chameleon Fagen turns in one of his best vocal performances here, at times even sounding oddly like glam master David Bowie. He also shines with a superb keyboard solo. The female backing harmonies hypnotize once again with their eroticism, while the closing guitar solo is a real treat for all the guitar nuts out there. Next comes the aforementioned title piece, “disputed” thanks to Jarrett, which is one of the lighter moments on the album. What charms here is above all the unusual romantic allure supplied by the female vocal harmonies in the chorus. Excellent sax and guitar solos add their share too.
The next classic is the pop-rock “Time Out of Mind”, which went down in music history mostly because legendary guitarist Mark Knopfler plays on it. Fagen and Becker fell for him the moment they heard the Dire Straits classic “Sultans of Swing”. Knopfler’s guitar flourishes and witty closing solo are easy to recognize, though they’re far from the only charm of this splendid song. The rollicking horn arrangements keep company with superb vocal harmonies that carry a hint of soul. After the funk-flavored “My Rival” comes a completely different, noticeably darker atmosphere, as its sarcastic lyrics and juicy Hammond organ solos recall some of the early Steely Dan pieces. The instrumental parts, led by a variety of solos, are outstanding, while the hypnotic vocal harmonies, as usual, reach straight for the heart. The closing “Third World Man”, where the sarcastic lyrical magic of the early work comes alive again, is one of the most melancholic moments in the project’s story. The vocal harmonies have an incredibly sad color that fits perfectly with the social satire on the prejudices “developed” societies hold toward immigrants. With a mood like that, it feels like Fagen and Becker already knew they were saying goodbye to working together for an indefinite stretch.
Given the incredible hardships the legendary duo faced while making “Gaucho”, it’s a genuine miracle they closed out the first decade of their career with one more masterpiece, this time truly their last. Twenty years later they would indeed return in grand style with “Two Against Nature”, which won them a Grammy, but they would never again manage to recreate the songwriting, lyrical and instrumental brilliance of their golden era. As with most Steely Dan releases from the 70s, it’s very hard to find any fault with “Gaucho”. The only thing I can count against it is its short running time (under forty minutes), which is noticeably too little considering how long it took them to make. That complaint fades in an instant, though, next to the compositional and sonic perfectionism that marks the final act of their golden era. Besides, quality always matters more than quantity.
Lineup
Donald Fagen – vocals, organ, synthesizer, keyboards, lyricon, electric piano
Walter Becker – bass guitar, guitar, lyricon, vocals
Anthony Jackson – bass guitar
Chuck Rainey – bass guitar
Chuck Sample – bass guitar
Stayton Heyward – bass guitar
Don Grolnick – keyboards, electric piano, clavinet
Rob Mounsey – synthesizer, piano
Pat Rebillot – keyboards, electric piano
Joe Sample – electric piano
Hiram Bullock – guitar
Larry Carlton – guitar
Rick Derringer – guitar
Steve Khan – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Mark Knopfler – guitar, vocals
Hugh McCracken – guitar
Wayne Andre – trombone
Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone, vocals
Randy Brecker – trumpet, horn
Ronnie Cuber – baritone saxophone
Walter Kane – bass clarinet
George Marge – bass clarinet
David Sanborn – alto saxophone, vocals
David Tofani – tenor saxophone, vocals
Steve Gadd – percussion, drums
Robbie Buchanan – piano, synthesizer, vocals
Jeff Porcaro – percussion, drums
Bernard “Pretty” Purdie – drums
Crusher Bennett – percussion
Victor Feldman – percussion, keyboards
Ralph MacDonald – percussion
Nicky Marrero – percussion, cymbals, vocals
Patti Austin – vocals, backing vocals
Frank “Harmonica Frank” Floyd – backing vocals
Diva Gray – vocals, backing vocals
Gordon Grody – vocals, backing vocals
Lani Groves – vocals, backing vocals
Michael McDonald – vocals, backing vocals
Leslie Miller – vocals, backing vocals
Jennifer James – vocals, backing vocals
Zachary Sanders – vocals, backing vocals
Valerie Simpson – vocals, backing vocals
Zack Snaders – backing vocals
Toni Wine – vocals, backing vocals
Production
Gary Katz
Track list
1. Babylon Sisters
2. Hey Nineteen
3. Glamour Profession
4. Gaucho
5. Time Out Of Mind
6. My Rival
7. Third World Man
