The band's repertoire is exclusively the music of Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, the musicians behind the '70s celebrated studio band Steely Dan. They were acclaimed for such tunes as "F.M.," "Reelin' in the Years," "My Old School" and "Rikki Don't Lose That Number."
The name "Bodhisattva" was chosen because it's also the title of a Steely Dan song.
"We (also) thought it was clever, and people would wonder about it and think about it a little more."
Listen up
What: Bodhisattva plays the music of Steely Dan
Backing Garon are David Choy (sax), Glen Goto (keyboards), Jess Jopen (drums), Steve Jones (bass), Bryan Kessler (guitar) and Ed Weber (keyboards). Sina Foley and Kerry Whitson back Garon on vocals. Miwashita now lives in Los Angeles; Zanuck Lindsey is the band's other guitarist.
"Becker and Fagen's music is so ingenious and intricate, and the chord structure is so challenging, that it's not your basic four- or five-chord stuff. Fagen especially is a chordal genius in the way he constructs his songs. His chord structure is extremely complicated. It takes guys like these to do it," Garon explains.
"Nobody hesitated (when we asked them). It was amazing. It's
hard enough to get five guys together. To get 10 together and then actually put a project together is absolutely amazing.
Bodhisattva's showcase last fall was the Pier Bar at the Aloha Tower Marketplace. The group quickly proved itself. Even Garon, a self-admitted Steely Dan fan, admits to being surprised at the response.
"It's amazing how many (other) people love Steely Dan. The biggest block I've had is that people think we're a cover band and we're not. We're a band of proficient players performing the music of Steely Dan just as the Honolulu Symphony performs the music of Gershwin or Mozart.
"I don't want to knock bands who are doing this kind of format with (the music of) other bands, but we are not a 'tribute band.' We're not trying to do anything other than play the music well."
"We play something from every album, songs that we think are the coolest, ones we like, songs that rock, and songs most people seem to know. What we think is the best of their material. They didn't have that many major 'hits' but a lot of their songs are popular. We've got about 32 or 33 that we do."
Garon is hoping that with increased visibility Bodhisattva will land the sponsorships - perhaps from jazz-oriented radio - that will allow the band members to play more often and perhaps even travel to the neighbor islands.
"There aren't a lot of rooms for a 10-piece band, but there seems to be a lot of interest in what we're doing," Garon says optimistically. "Maybe it'll happen."