The Guitar Channel

Dream Theater covers the Dixie Dregs classic "Odyssey"

Dream Theater has released a killer version of "Odyssey" by the Dixie Dregs as the third of what will be six bonus tracks leading up to the release of their new album Black Clouds & Silver Linings, coming 6/23/09 (They are releasing one bonus track per week for six weeks). I'm a huge Dregs-head, and "Odyssey" is an absolute classic (written by Steve Morse when he was 17 years old as I recall). The following Roadrunner Records page has a link to download the track on iTunes, plus a short video of Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy talking about "Odyssey" and the Dregs.

Download Dream Theater's version of "Odyssey"

All About Jazz reviews Dixie Dregs and Steve Morse DVD re-releases

All About Jazz has a nice piece on the recently re-released DVD's of the Dixie Dregs and the Steve Morse Band. Dixie Dregs - Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1978, and The Steve Morse Band - Live in Baden Baden Germany March 1990 were both released a couple of years ago, but were recently re-released domestically by Eagle Eye Media.

Link

See also: My review of the Dixie Dregs Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1978

Classic Dixie Dregs pic - circa 1977

This was posted on the Steve Morse Mailinglist Yahoo Group, and I just had to put it up here. This photo of the Dixie Dregs was taken in 1977 in front of Peaches Records in Memphis. This originally appeared in Billboard magazine. From left to right: Allen Sloan - violin, Steve Morse - guitar, Rod Morgenstein - drums, Andy West - bass, and (probably) Mark Parrish - keys.

Tempe AZ show added to SMB/Dixie Dregs tour

The following show has been added to the January 2007 Steve Morse Band/Dixie Dregs tour:

Jan 21 - Marque Theatre  Tempe, AZ

Steve Morse Official Website

Steve Morse Band / Dixie Dregs 2007 tour dates!

Jan 12   Boulder Theater - Boulder, CO
Jan 13   The Depot  - Salt Lake City, UT
Jan 14   The Boardwalk - Orangevale, CA
Jan 15   Mystic Theatre - Petaluma, CA
Jan 16   Slim's - San Francisco, CA
Jan 17   Catalyst - Santa Cruz, CA
Jan 18   The Canyon Club - Agoura Hills, CA
Jan 19   The Coach House -
             San Juan Capristano, CA
Jan 20   North Park Theater - San Diego, CA


Apparently, more dates will be announced soon.

via Steve Morse Official Website

 

Classic Steve Morse and Dixie Dregs photos

I just discovered the home page of music photographer Robert Minkin. He's got, among other things, some great old photos of the Steve Morse Band and the Dixie Dregs. He has shots from 3 different shows. Really cool.

Steve Morse - Dixie Dregs gallery

Review: Dixie Dregs 1978 Montreux Jazz Fest DVD

Steve Morse's solo on "The Bash" from the Dixie Dregs album "Night of the Living Dregs" is one of those landmark solo's in guitar history. Now for the first time, we can finally watch him play this classic solo. That could be my whole review right there, and the dyed-in-the-wool Dregs fans would be sold already. But there is much more to be had here. Read on...

The main feature on this DVD is the Dregs' performance at the 1978 Montreux Jazz Festival. The video and sound quality are great. This was their first performance outside of the United States, sort of a coming out party you could say. Four of the songs from this show were included on the 1979 album "Night of the Living Dregs". "The Bash" and "Patchwork" have always been my favorite's off the live portion of that album. It's really cool to finally 'see' these song's being played. Another standout is an early performance of "Attila the Hun", which didn't appear until the "Unsung Hero's" album in 1981. "Country House Shuffle" is also great. It's hard to believe this landmark show has been in the can all this time; almost 30 years! Any fusion or jazz fan will enjoy this show, but for the Dregs fan this is windfall. The only thing that may annoy some viewers is the camera angles. The main camera is on the left side of the stage which is where Morse and bassist Andy West are standing. The rest of the band are off to their left. As a result, whenever Morse faces the band (which he often does) his back is to the camera. For many of Morse's solo's, he is shown at an angle from his right side. There are a lot of shots of violinist Allen Sloan, since he is at the right side of the stage and pretty much faces the main camera straight on.

The bonus features on the DVD are the Dregs' old TV appearances on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert and American Bandstand. Die-hard's like me already have these spots on VHS, but it's awesome to have pristine looking versions now on DVD. The Don Kirshner performance is neat. They do "Punk Sandwich". Morse plays a Fender Lead I (remember those Guitar Player ads from the early 80's?), and the whole band is wearing tuxedo's with no shirts and white bow-tie's.

This DVD is in the "must have" category for Steve Morse/Dixie Dregs fans, but fusion fans in general will dig it too. It may be hard to find in a brick and mortar store, but it can easily be had from any of the following online vendors:

Abstract Logix
Audiophile Imports
Amazon

Rich

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Dixie Dregs 1978 Montreux DVD released

The DIXIE DREGS MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL 1978 DVD has been released. Currently you can get the Australian Region 4 version DVD here, in either NTSC or PAL. Amazon.com will have the Region 1 version on July 12th.

UPDATE: I finally got around to getting this. Check out my review here.

Dregs DVD to be released in early June

The Dixie Dregs DVD of their 1978 Montreux Jazz Festival performance will finally be released in a couple of weeks through the stevemorse.com website.

Review: Steve Morse Band / Dixie Dregs - 3/30/05 Chicago

Last night I saw the Dixie Dregs at the Park West in Chicago. Everyone got a double-dose of Morse as it was the Steve Morse Band opening for the Dregs. Both shows were great! They aren't promoting a new album, so there weren't many surprises. However, the Dregs played Mahavishnu's "Celestial Terrestrial Commuters" which was a big surprise, and very cool. Morse plays on that tune for the upcoming Mahanishnu tribute album. "Rising Power" was the highlight of the SMB set for me. They always stretch that tune out live. In the Dregs set, "Kat Food", "Ice Cakes", "Celestial Terrestrial Commuters", and "Kashmir" were all particularly awesome. Morse played a purple sunburst Ernie Ball with white trim and white pickups on a couple of tunes as well. For the Dregs encore, Van Romaine (drums with SMB) came out and did a drum duet with Rod Morgenstein.Very cool! The rest of the band then came out and they did "Bloodsucking Leeches" with both drummers. They've done that before when SMB has opened for the Dregs; it was awesome as always.

It was great to see Morse and the Dregs again. They haven't been through Chicago in a few years if I'm not mistaken. The official Steve Morse website has lots of pictures and setlists covering practically every Morse and Dregs tour ever. All Morse fans need to check it out. They will get some submissions regarding this show I'm sure.

Rich

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Steve Morse/Dixie Dregs tour dates

Some new Steve Morse Band/Dixie Dregs shows are coming up!

Check out the tour dates here.

New Dixie Dregs DVD coming in January

A DVD of the Dixie Dregs 1978 Montreux Jazz Festival performance is scheduled to be released in January 2005. Read more at stevemorse.com. Montreux Jazz Festival