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Donald Fagen

Donald Fagen is an acclaimed American musician, songwriter, and co-founder of the influential jazz-rock band Steely Dan. Born on January 10, 1948, in Passaic, New Jersey, Fagen attended Bard College where he met his future Steely Dan collaborator, Walter Becker. Together, they forged a songwriting partnership defined by sophisticated compositions, intricate jazz harmonies, and biting, often cryptic lyrics. The duo's penchant for studio perfectionism led them to create some of the most polished and innovative records of the 1970s.

After Steely Dan's temporary hiatus in 1981, Fagen embarked on a solo career. His debut album, "The Nightfly," released in 1982, is widely celebrated for its autobiographical nature and continues to be a solo hallmark that extended the sound and ethos of his work with Steely Dan. Fagen's solo efforts are characterized by his ear for sharp production and continued exploration of jazz influences, wrapped up in his distinctively smooth vocal style. Over the years, he has released several solo albums including 'Kamakiriad' (1993), 'Morph the Cat' (2006), and 'Sunken Condos' (2012). Each work reinforces Fagen's status as a meticulous craftsman of song and groove. Despite his solo work, Fagen found himself reuniting with Becker in later years, until Becker's death in 2017, to bring Steely Dan to new generations of listeners through tours and live albums, like "The Nightfly: Live" which revisits his solo material on stage. Donald Fagen's artistic contributions remain a testament to his unique place in the pantheon of rock and jazz musicians.

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