Josie at the Capitol Theatre 2017 Donald Fagen and The Nightflyers Revisit a Steely Dan Classic
On August fourth two thousand seventeen, Donald Fagen took the stage at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York, with The Nightflyers, delivering a performance that highlighted both continuity and renewal within his musical legacy. Among the setlist highlights was Josie, the closing track from Steely Dan’s nineteen seventy seven album Aja, presented with clarity, precision, and a contemporary live energy.
The Nightflyers lineup for this performance featured Connor Kennedy on guitar and vocals, Lee Falco on drums and vocals, Brandon Morrison on bass and vocals, Will Bryant on keyboards and vocals, and Zach Djanikian on guitar, horns, and vocals. Together, the ensemble provided a disciplined and flexible foundation for Fagen’s distinctive keyboard work and unmistakable vocal phrasing.
Josie has long been regarded as one of Steely Dan’s most rhythmically intricate and harmonically sophisticated songs. Built around a tight groove and layered arrangement, the studio version became known for its polished production and subtle interplay between instruments. In the live setting at the Capitol Theatre, the emphasis shifted slightly toward feel and immediacy while maintaining the structural integrity that defines the composition.
Lee Falco’s drumming anchored the performance with steady control, capturing the syncopated pulse that drives the song forward. The rhythm section, supported by Brandon Morrison’s bass lines, maintained clarity without overpowering the arrangement. Will Bryant’s keyboard textures complemented Fagen’s own playing, preserving the harmonic richness central to the original recording. Guitar contributions from Connor Kennedy and Zach Djanikian added definition and articulation, while Djanikian’s horn parts reinforced the arrangement’s dynamic accents.
Fagen’s vocal delivery remained measured and precise, reflecting the understated style that has characterized his performances for decades. Rather than attempting to replicate the exact studio atmosphere of Aja, the band approached Josie as a living composition, allowing room for subtle variations in phrasing and emphasis.
The Capitol Theatre, known for its attentive audiences and strong acoustics, provided an appropriate setting for this material. The performance demonstrated how songs from the Steely Dan catalog continue to function effectively in a modern live context when handled by musicians attentive to detail and discipline.
The August fourth performance of Josie stands as a clear example of Donald Fagen’s ongoing commitment to maintaining the musical standards associated with his work. Supported by The Nightflyers, he presented the song not as a relic of the past, but as a carefully preserved and actively performed piece of American popular music.