Steely Dan | Aja [Gatefold Sleeve Vinyl Album] LP

Steely Dan’s 1977 landmark Aja is to be the next release in Geffen/UMe’s extensive reissue program of the group’s hallowed catalog of releases for ABC and MCA Records. Newly remastered from the analog tapes, it will make its return to vinyl on September 29.

Like its forerunners in the series – the debut album Can’t Buy A Thrill last November, Countdown To Ecstasy in May this year, and Pretzel Logic in July – Aja has been remastered by Bernie Grundman from an analog, non-EQ’d, tape copy. It will be pressed on 180 gram black vinyl at 33 1/3 RPM.

Aja is the sixth studio album by the jazz rock band. Led by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, Steely Dan released seven albums from 1972-1980. Originally released in 1977, it became the group’s best-selling album, and was placed on Rolling Stone magazine’s ‘500 Greatest Albums of All Time’ list. This 1977’s platinum-selling jazz-rock masterwork, includes the three hit singles – ‘Deacon Blues,’ Peg’ and ‘Josie’ – and the elegant title cut.
The album went on to win a Grammy Award for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group.

Further titles to roll out over in the reissue program over the next year include 1975’s Katy Lied, 1976’s The Royal Scam, and Steely Dan’s final album for MCA, 1980’s Gaucho.