The pianist who gave Steely Dan a 'master class'

Paul Griffin on cowriting "The Fez," playing the solo on “Sign in Stranger,” singing on “Peg," and more

Paul Griffin at Donald Fagen’s former New York studio, River Sound, during the filming of the Classic Albums documentary about Aja

“What can I say? He was a beautiful artist, a master of Pentecostal style,” Donald Fagen replied when I inquired about his collaborations with the late, esteemed pianist and organist Paul Griffin, who can be heard on Steely Dan’s The Royal Scam and Aja, as well as Fagen’s second solo album, Kamakiriad. “He could transform an ordinary song into a classic with a couple of original ideas. Being around him was like taking a master class.”