Kamakiriad is the second solo album by Steely Dan artist Donald Fagen, released in 1993. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year 1994.
Overview The album was the second collaboration between Donald Fagen and Walter Becker since Steely Dan's disbandment in early 80's (the previous was on Rosie Vela's album Zazu). Becker played guitar and bass and produced the album.
The album is a futuristic, optimistic eight-song cycle about the journey of the narrator in his high-tech car, the Kamakiri (Japanese for praying mantis). In the album's liner notes, it reads "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."
Promotion Music videos were produced for "Tomorrow's Girls" (starring Rick Moranis) and "Snowbound" (directed by Michel Gondry using stop motion animation). According to The Arizona Republic, the music video for "Snowbound" was filmed on September 6, 1993, at C.J.S. Film Studios in Avondale, Arizona, during Steely Dan's tour stop in Phoenix.
In August 1993, Fagen and Becker embarked on their first tour as Steely Dan since July 1974, which also supported the album.
Track listing
Bonus tracks (from The Nightfly Trilogy MVI boxed set)
Personnel
Musicians
Donald Fagen – vocals, keyboards, horn and rhythm arrangements Walter Becker – bass, guitar solos Georg Wadenius – guitar Paul Griffin – Hammond B3 organ Christopher Parker – drums (1, 2, 6, 7) Leroy Clouden – drums (3, 5, 8), percussion Dennis McDermott – drums (4) Bashiri Johnson – percussion Randy Brecker – trumpet, flugelhorn Cornelius Bumpus – tenor saxophone, saxophone solo (6, 7) Ronnie Cuber – baritone saxophone Illinois ElohainuPseudonym for Fagen (who uses a synthesizer for the saxophone sample) – tenor saxophone, saxophone solo (2) Lawrence Feldman – tenor saxophone, flute Birch Johnson – trombone, trombone solo (8) Lou Marini – alto saxophone, flute, clarinet Jim Pugh – trombone Roger Rosenberg – baritone saxophone Alan Rubin – trumpet, flugelhorn David Tofani – flute, tenor saxophone Frank Floyd – backing vocals Diane Garisto – backing vocals Amy Helm – backing vocals Mindy Jostyn – backing vocals Brenda King – backing vocals Curtis King – backing vocals Jenni Muldaur – backing vocals Angela Clemmons-Patrick – backing vocals Catherine Russell – backing vocals Dian Sorel – backing vocals Fonzi Thornton – backing vocals
Technical Produced by Walter Becker Chief engineer – Roger Nichols House engineer – Wayne Yurgelun Additional engineers – David Michael Dill, Tom Fritze, Dave Russell, Tony Volante Second engineers – Jay Ryan, Phil Burnett, John Neff, Troy Halderson, Bob Mitchel, Andy Grassi Digital technician – Phil Burnett Mastered by Glenn Meadows at Masterfonics, Nashville Production assistant – Scott Barkham Production coordinator – Lisa Starr Sample editing, digital delay acquisition – Craig Siegal Design – Carol Bobolts/Red Herring Design Photography – James Hamilton Car photography – Marinella Terziotti Management – Craig Fruin/HK Management
Charts Weekly charts +Weekly chart performance for KamakiriadChart (1993)PeakpositionAustralian Albums (ARIA)80
Year-end charts +1993 year-end chart performance for Kamakiriad Chart (1993) PositionEuropean Albums (European Top 100 Albums) 99
Certifications
References