In September of last year, the world lost Steely Dan guitarist and co-founder Walter Becker. Steely Dan was one of the most important bands to come out of the ’70s, with Becker and Donald Fagen‘s unique approach to pop music—a slick combination of jazz, off-center chord progressions, meticulous arrangements, and introspective lyrics—leaving an indelible stamp on the world of music. When the fourth-annual Brooklyn Comes Alive returns to Brooklyn’s beloved Williamsburg neighborhood for an all-day music marathon on September 29th, a number of high-profile artists from across the live music spectrum will pay tribute to this remarkable group and to Becker.
For this special upcoming Steely Dan tribute set, Joey Porter, resident keyboard virtuoso for the Colorado funk act The Motet and Brooklyn Comes Alive veteran, will serve as musical director, bringing the same care and attention that he has to his past BCA performances—Porter earned high praise when he brought his fan-favorite tribute to Herbie Hancock to BCA last year, making it one of the most buzzed-about performances of the festival, plus he joined the rest of his Motet brethren (and more) in honoring Jamiroquai during a packed performance at Music Hall of Williamsburg.
Porter has tapped a number of other beloved players from the live music community (many of whom have become staple performers for Brooklyn Comes Alive) to join him in honoring the prolific catalog of Steely Dan. Representing two-thirds of The Nth Power, both bassist Nate Edgar and guitarist Nick Cassarino will be on hand for the performance, as will Porter’s bandmate, vocalist Lyle Divinsky. Turkuaz‘s drummer Michelangelo Carubba and vocalist Sammi Garett will also perform, as will Snarky Puppy percussionist Nate Werth, saxophonist Chris Bullock, and trumpeter Mike “Maz” Maher. Returning to Brooklyn Comes Alive on the heels of 2017’s outstanding tribute to iconic ’90s female artists, charismatic singer Hayley Jane and Kung Fu guitarist Tim Palmieri round out the all-star lineup.
As Joey Porter explained to us about the upcoming show,
I’m very excited to be back at BCA! What a pleasure it is to be able to play music and hang out with so many talented musicians in one place! Steely Dan is one of the best studio bands of all time. They can be spoken in the same breath as The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Radiohead when it comes to studio sophistication. To this day I often hear live sound engineers using Steely Dan songs to test the speakers in the front of the house! It’s going to be such a pleasure to play these songs that I’ve loved for decades with some of the best musicians in the country!
To get ready for this highly anticipated performance, check out this video of “Actual Proof” from the Joey Porter-led Herbie Hancock tribute at Brooklyn Comes Alive 2017.
[Video: Live For Live Music]
The fourth-annual Brooklyn Comes Alive will return to Brooklyn’s beloved Williamsburg neighborhood on September 29th for an all-day music marathon at Brooklyn Bowl, Music Hall of Williamsburg and Rough Trade. Inspired by the vibrant musical communities of Brooklyn and New Orleans, Brooklyn Comes Alive brings together more than 50 artists, allowing them to carry out passion projects, play with their musical heroes, and collaborate in never-before-seen formations. For more information, ticketing, and to see the full list of performers scheduled for Brooklyn Comes Alive 2018, head to the festival’s website here.
