Colman Connolly

Tag: Steely Dan

  • Reelin’ In the Years: The Low Darts Tackle a Legendary Solo

    Reelin’ In the Years: The Low Darts Tackle a Legendary Solo

    Jimmy Page once named the guitar solo in Reelin’ In the Years his favorite of all time. The Low Darts step up to it live. The five-piece classic rock, pop, and soul band, fronted by Colman Connolly on keys and lead vocals, filmed a cover of the Steely Dan classic that gives the song its full bite.

    Steely Dan opened their career with a guitar showcase. Reelin’ In the Years appeared on the 1972 debut Can’t Buy a Thrill, and session ace Elliott Randall reportedly cut its dazzling solo in a single continuous take.

    Honor the one-take solo

    Randall’s lines move fast and never repeat a phrase, weaving melodic runs through the bridge and outro. Players spend years learning to phrase like that under pressure.

    Guitarist Jonas Brown carries those passages live, trading the energy of the original while keeping the melodic logic intact. The whole band frames him with the driving feel that pushes the track forward. Hear that interplay across the band’s live cover library.

    Drive the rhythm engine

    Underneath the guitar, Reelin’ In the Years runs on a tight, propulsive rhythm section and crisp piano stabs. The pocket has to stay relentless for the solo to land.

    Colman anchors the keys while Sean Byington and Luke Foote keep the engine churning, and Colman’s lead vocal carries the bright, conversational melody. That balance reflects Colman Connolly’s musical background as a trained accompanist and producer. Watch the clip above, then hear their version of another Steely Dan deep cut. When your event calls for a band that plays the hard stuff right, book The Low Darts today.

  • Black Cow by Steely Dan: The Low Darts Capture the Groove

    Black Cow by Steely Dan: The Low Darts Capture the Groove

    That fluid bass line announces Black Cow within seconds, and few covers dare to chase it. The Low Darts do. The five-piece classic rock, pop, and soul band, led by keyboardist and vocalist Colman Connolly, filmed a live cover of the Aja opener that respects every layer of one of Steely Dan’s most refined recordings.

    Steely Dan built Black Cow on feel and finesse. The track opened the 1977 album Aja, with Chuck Rainey laying down a melodic, syncopated bass figure and Victor Feldman coloring the intro with electric piano and vibes.

    Carry the Chuck Rainey bass line

    Rainey’s part walks the line between groove and melody, popping and sliding through the verses without ever crowding the vocal. The bass essentially leads the song.

    Luke Foote takes that role on stage, locking with drummer Sean Byington to hold the loose, confident pocket the original floats on. You can hear how the rhythm section anchors the arrangement across the band’s live music section.

    Shape the smooth keyboard textures

    Feldman’s electric piano and the song’s horn-and-synth swells give Black Cow its cool, late-night sheen. Those textures reward a player with a producer’s ear.

    Colman and Sebastian Rodriguez handle the keys and the harmony vocals, recreating the chordal color that defines the track. Colman’s training in audio production and trad piano sharpens that work, the same foundation described in Colman Connolly’s musical roots. Watch the clip above, then catch their take on an earlier Steely Dan single. To bring this polish to your room, book The Low Darts for your next show.

  • Black Friday by Steely Dan: The Low Darts Bring the Shuffle

    Black Friday by Steely Dan: The Low Darts Bring the Shuffle

    An uptempo shuffle and a gritty guitar lead kick Black Friday into gear from the downbeat. The Low Darts ride it live. The five-piece classic rock, pop, and soul band, fronted by Colman Connolly on keys and lead vocals, filmed a cover of the Katy Lied opener that keeps all the grit of the original.

    Steely Dan opened Katy Lied with pure momentum. Released in 1975, Black Friday rides a solid rock shuffle built on chunky electric piano, with Walter Becker coaxing his lead lines from an old Fender Mustang.

    Push the boogie shuffle

    The track never sits still. The rhythm section drives a tight shuffle that gives the song its forward lean, and the feel has to stay loose yet precise.

    Drummer Sean Byington and bassist Luke Foote set that pace on stage, while Colman drives the chunky electric piano part that defines the groove. Hear how the band locks the feel across the band’s live cover library.

    Deliver the gritty guitar lead

    Becker’s solo on the record bites and snarls, full of bent notes and attitude rather than polish. That tone carries the song’s edge.

    Jonas Brown handles those lead lines live, matching the snap of the original while Sebastian Rodriguez fills out the keys and harmonies. The whole performance reflects Colman Connolly’s musical background, where a producer’s ear meets real stage chemistry. Watch the clip above, then hear their version of a Steely Dan guitar showcase. When you want a young band that plays the classics with real teeth, book The Low Darts for your event.