Kamakiriad

Infobox Album |
Name = Kamakiriad
Type = Album
Artist = Donald Fagen


Released = May 25, 1993
Recorded = 1992-93
Genre = Jazz-Rock
Length = 50:31
Label = Reprise
Producer = Walter Becker
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:qjuf6ja771q0~T1 link]
Last album = "The Nightfly"
(1982)
This album = "Kamakiriad"
(1993)
Next album = "Morph the Cat"
(2006)

"Kamakiriad" is the second solo album by Steely Dan singer Donald Fagen, released in 1993 (see 1993 in music). It was his first collaboration with Steely Dan partner Walter Becker, who produced the album, since 1980. The album is a futuristic optimistic 8 song-cycle about the journey of the narrator in his high-tech car, the "Kamakirii" (Japanese for praying mantis).

The album follows a lengthy writer's block for Fagen; the songs are based on personal observations about middle age (as 1982's "The Nightfly" is lyrically described as fantasies of Fagen's youth and 2006's "Morph the Cat" ruminations of old age and death).

Music videos were produced for "Tomorrow's Girls" (starring Rick Moranis) and "Snowbound" (using stop motion animation).

Fagen and Becker would embark on their first tour as Steely Dan since 1974 to support the album, leading gradually to a permanent reunion.

Track listing

#"Trans-Island Skyway" (Fagen) – 6:30
#"Countermoon" (Fagen) – 5:05
#"Springtime" (Fagen) – 5:06
#"Snowbound" (Becker, Fagen) – 7:08
#"Tomorrow's Girls" (Fagen) – 6:17
#"Florida Room" (Fagen, Titus) – 6:02
#"On the Dunes" (Fagen) – 8:07
#"Teahouse on the Tracks" (Fagen) – 6:09

Personnel

*Donald Fagen - keyboards, vocals
*Walter Becker - bass, guitar
*Randy Brecker - trumpet, flugelhorn
*Cornelius Bumpus - tenor saxophone
*Angela Clemmons-Patrick - background vocals
*Leroy Clouden - percussion, drums
*Ronnie Cuber - baritone saxophone
*Illinois Elohainu - tenor saxophone (a fictive musician, actually Fagen himself plays a sax sample on the keyboard)
*Lawrence Feldman - flute, tenor saxophone
*Frank "Harmonica Frank" Floyd - background vocals
*Diane Garisto - background vocals
*Paul Griffin - Hammond organ
*Amy Helm - background vocals
*Bashiri Johnson - percussion
*Birch Johnson - trombone
*Mindy Joslyn - background vocals
*Brenda King - background vocals
*Curtis King - background vocals
*Lou Marini - clarinet, flute, alto saxophone
*Dennis McDermott - drums
*Jenni Muldaur - background vocals
*Christopher Parker - drums
*Angela Clemmon Patrick - background vocals
*Jim Pugh - trombone
*Tim Ries - tenor saxophone
*Roger Rosenberg - baritone saxophone
*Alan Rubin - trumpet, flugelhorn
*Catherine Russell - background vocals
*Dian Sorel - background vocals
*Fonzi Thornton - background vocals
*David Tofani - flute, tenor saxophone
*Georg Wadenius - guitar

Production

*Producer: Walter Becker
*Engineers: Phil Burnett, David Michael Dill, Tom Fritze, Andy Grassi, Troy Halderson, Bob Mitchel, John Neff, Roger Nichols, Dave Russell, Jay A. Ryan, Tony Volante, Wayne Yurgelun
*Mastering: Scott Hull, Glenn Meadows
*Sample editing: Craig Siegal
*Digital technician: Phil Burnett
*Digital delay: Craig Siegal
*Horn arrangements: Donald Fagen
*Rhythm arrangements: Donald Fagen
*Design: Carol Bobolts
*Photography: James Hamilton
*Liner notes: Donald Fagen, Tim White

Charts

Album

Singles

Trivia

Inside the cover is written this explanation of this concept album:
* "Kamakiriad is an album of eight related songs. The literal action takes place a few years in the future, near the millennium. In the first song, "Trans-Island Skyway," the narrator tells us he is about to embark on a journey in his new dream-car, a custom-tooled Kamakiri. It's built for the new century: steam-driven, with a self-contained vegetable garden and a radio link with the Tripstar routing satellite. The next six songs describe his adventures along the way. In the last song, "Teahouse On The Tracks," the narrator lands in dismal Flytown where he must decide whether to bail out or to rally and continue moving into the unknown."

External links

* [http://donaldfagen.com/disc_kamakiriad.php Complete lyrics]
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=Jj0ApyaNQaU Tomorrow's Girls music video]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MGtr121fFI Snowbound music video]