Search - Dixie Dregs :: Night of Living Dregs

Essential Dregs

Michael Kydonieus | San Francisco, CA United States | 08/04/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For those who are new to the Dregs, their music is a seamless fusion of Southern rock, funk, jazz, and bluegrass (I know, it sounds dreadful, but trust me--it's exhilarating.) Night of the Living Dregs, along with Freefall, are the essential Dregs cds to own, although Dregs nuts (you know who you are) will want to get everything up to 1980's Dregs of the Earth. The album is divided into half studio tracks, half live tracks. The live cuts, in particular, astonish with their energy and peerless musicianship. You think I'm kidding? Steve Morse, the group's leader, was voted Best All Around Guitarist by Downbeat's reader's poll so many times he finally became ineligible to win the award! If you would like to read more reviews like this, check out JazzboNotes.com.

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Night of the LIving Dregs Incredible Music

M. E. Clark | Fredericksburg, VA | 08/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had purchased this in album format Many Years Ago. Always has been one of my favorite albums next to Dregs of the Earth, which I actually found in vinyl as a half speed Master, Audiophile Vinyl record. Steve Morse is one of the most versatile guitarists I have ever seen. It's hard to imagine anyone keeping consistant rhythm with the most precision picking he does. The first half was recorded in the studio. The second half was recorded at the Monteroux Jazz Festival. The live material is almost jazz fusion mixed with bluegrass. The whole album probably touches on anything from rock to avant garde to classical to jazz to bluegrass. The whole band are top notch musicians. Later in the album California Screaming, they added the violinist extraordinaire Jerry Goodman, who's been around playing since the 1960's with the group known as the Flock as a second violinist. You are definitely missing something if you have not been exposed to this band. Steve Morse has done a number of Solo albums as well as a stint with Deep Purple. I've never heard any of his work with this long time rock band. I have never seen a faster guitarist and he is so detail oriented with the music he plays that you will be amazed. I think this album is as good as anything they have ever done and it has always been one of my top albums "Desert Island Classics" so to speak. I am very glad that Amazon carried it because it is usually hard to find if you go to any record store. There are no extras on the CD that make this different than the original vinyl album. This basically makes it a very short CD by today's standards. But there are no complaints about the quality of the musicianship or material performed. Most impressive Album!!!!"