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| Becker and Fagen's youthful career included a stint with ] under pseudonyms, and in the early 1970s, as pop tunesmiths prior to forming Steely Dan with Donald Fagen and others. As a guitarist, Becker is known for his intelligent, tasty, rhythmically savvy playing, and has continually improved. In much of his best known playing, he plays in a rock style that can lean strongly toward ] or ]. | Becker and Fagen's youthful career included a stint with ] under pseudonyms, and in the early 1970s, as pop tunesmiths prior to forming Steely Dan with Donald Fagen and others. As a guitarist, Becker is known for his intelligent, tasty, rhythmically savvy playing, and has continually improved. In much of his best known playing, he plays in a rock style that can lean strongly toward ] or ]. | ||
| Following Steely Dan's breakup in ], Becker moved to ] and began a career as a producer, producing artists as diverse as ], ] and ]. He reunited with |
Following Steely Dan's breakup in ], Becker moved to ] and began a career as a producer, producing artists as diverse as ], ] and ]. He reunited with Fagen briefly to collaborate on the debut album of US singer ]. Their partnership resumed in the mid-1990s as they undertook a tour under the Steely Dan moniker in ], and Becker produced Fagen's album '']'' in that year as well. In turn, Fagen co-produced Becker's belated solo debut, '']'' (]). | ||
| Becker is currently working on another solo album in New York. | Becker is currently working on another solo album in New York. | ||
Revision as of 21:53, 19 March 2006
Walter Carl Becker (born February 20, 1950 in New York, New York) is the guitarist (and sometimes electric bassist) half of the duo at the core of the jazz-rock group Steely Dan. Becker is a graduate of Stuyvesant High School in New York, NY, class of 1967. He met his long-time partner, the other half of Steely Dan Donald Fagen, while attending Bard College.
Becker and Fagen's youthful career included a stint with Jay and the Americans under pseudonyms, and in the early 1970s, as pop tunesmiths prior to forming Steely Dan with Donald Fagen and others. As a guitarist, Becker is known for his intelligent, tasty, rhythmically savvy playing, and has continually improved. In much of his best known playing, he plays in a rock style that can lean strongly toward funk or jazz.
Following Steely Dan's breakup in 1981, Becker moved to Hawaii and began a career as a producer, producing artists as diverse as Rickie Lee Jones, China Crisis and Michael Franks. He reunited with Fagen briefly to collaborate on the debut album of US singer Rosie Vela. Their partnership resumed in the mid-1990s as they undertook a tour under the Steely Dan moniker in 1993, and Becker produced Fagen's album Kamakiriad in that year as well. In turn, Fagen co-produced Becker's belated solo debut, 11 Tracks of Whack (1994).
Becker is currently working on another solo album in New York.