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Steve Morse

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Steven J. Morse is a rock guitarist and guitar virtuoso, best known for his position as guitarist in the Dixie Dregs and Deep Purple. His career has encompassed rock, country, funk, jazz, classical, and fusions of these genres. In addition to a thriving solo career, he enjoyed a brief stint with Kansas and has been working with Deep Purple since 1994.

Contents

Biography

Morse was born July 28, 1954 in Hamilton, Ohio. His father was a minister and his mother a classically trained pianist; both psychologists. The family moved to Tennessee, then Ypsalanti, Michigan where Morse spent his childhood. Although familiar with piano and clarinet, he became interested in guitar and his real musical career began. He worked briefly with his brother Dave in a band called The Plague until the family moved to Augusta, Georgia. Enrolled in Richmond Academy, he met bassist Andy West and together they formed the nucleus of Dixie Grit, adding keyboardist Johnny Carr, guitarist and vocalist Frank Brittingham with Dave Morse drumming. However, this effort was shortlived, since covering Led Zeppelin, Cream and the like limited their ability to get higher-paying dance gigs. West and Morse continued to play as a duet billed as the Dixie Dregs until Morse's expulsion from school in the 10th grade for refusing to cut his hair enabled his enrollment at University of Miami's School of Music.

During the 1970s, The University played host to a number of future influential musicians, including Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Bruce Hornsby and others. Andy West soon enrolled and with Morse collaborated in a lab project entitled Rock Ensemble II, along with drummer Bart Yarnall, keyboardist Frank Josephs and violinist Allen Sloan. Rehearsing and performing Morse's compositions at school brought some attention to his credibility as a composer and player. The group compiled a recording used for promotional efforts in 1975. This recording was eventually released as The Great Spectacular in 1997.

Dixie Dregs

Upon Morse's graduation in 1975, he and West officially named the group Dixie Dregs. A fellow alumnus, Rod Morgenstein replaced the injured Bart Yarnall and the band commenced performing on a very regular basis, interspersing their compositions with covers of John McLaughlin and of southern rock gems. Despite their decidedly non-commercial intent, an increasingly heavier performance schedule eventually led to the attention of Capricorn Records recruiters and in late 1976 the group was signed by the vaunted southern rock label.

Their first effort for Capricorn, (Free Fall), established Morse as an important newcomer to the fusion genre not only for his compositional skills but for his consummate musicianship. Considered a pivotal jazz fusion piece in a genre gone cold, his tunes are bright, complex and fresh. Critically acclaimed, the album showed little commercial promise and in 1978, What If was released. Widely considered The Dixie Dregs' finest work, Morse's playing had matured into something a bit more than what defined fusion at the time. Southern rock, classical, folk and country elements combined to form a cohesive and complex pastiche of passionate and highly listenable music. Though supported by a tour, record sales remained flat but gained Morse and the boys an invitation to perform at Montreux Jazz Festival July 23, 1978. The recorded performance was released the following year on Night of the Living Dregs. Capricorn went bankrupt in late 1979, and the Dixie Dregs were stranded without a label.

Enter Arista Records, who signed the band to record three albums in 1979. Production control was handed to Morse and Dregs of the Earth was released in May, 1980. All eight tracks were written by Morse and the album peaked at number 27 on Billboard's Jazz Album Chart. Arista became increasingly concerned about Dixie Dregs' album sales and pressured the band to change their name to simply The Dregs in an attempt to address the band's visibility in the public eye. Unsung Heroes brought eight additional Morse compositions forward in early 1981, but the name change did little to address Arista's worries. The Dregs were compelled to add lyrics to their next effort, appropriately titled Industry Standard (1982), an apparent reference to executive and management oversight of the creative process. Despite this, Morse's compositions on Industry Standard are often considered more akin to his evolving solo work than Dregs collaborations and the album stands out to critical and public praise. Industry Standard was voted Best Guitar LP by readers of Guitar Player magazine in their annual reader's poll that year. Additionally, Morse was voted Best Overall in the same poll, an honor that he would enjoy for five consecutive years (which ended his eligibility by retiring him into their "Gallery of Greats", a distinction shared only by Steve Howe of Yes.)

1980s

Having fulfilled their commitment to Arista, the band succumbed to the pressures of constant gigging, and disbanded in early 1983. Morse began putting together the Steve Morse Band, a trio with Jerry Peek (bass) and Doug Morgan (drums). Rod Morgenstein soon replaced Morgan, and they began recording The Introduction in September. The group toured Germany in early 1984 with Morse conducting clinics and the group was signed by Elektra Records, who released The Introduction mid-year. A second German tour began in December, 1984 and Stand Up was released in 1985. This effort included guest vocalists and guitarists (Eric Johnson, Alex Ligertwood, Peter Frampton, Albert Lee, Van Temple), and violinist Mark O'Connor.

In 1986, Morse joined Kansas. While with the band, they released two albums, Power (1986) and In the Spirit of Things (1988). Morse left the band after touring behind the latter album. He again played with the band for part of their 1991 tour.

From late 1987 to early 1988, Steve worked as a commercial airline co-pilot [link] [link].

1990s

During the 1993 Deep Purple tour supporting their The Battle Rages On album, Ritchie Blackmore quit the band in the middle of a tour. Before they settled on Morse permanently, Joe Satriani served as a short-term replacement, to finish the tour.

In addition to playing with Deep Purple, in 2003, together with Jimmy Barnes, Bob Daisley, Lee Kerslake and Don Airey, Steve formed Living Loud.

Discography

with

With the Steve Morse Band and solo

With
  • 1996 Purpendicular
  • 1997 Deep Purple Live at the Olympia '96
  • 1998 Abandon
  • 1999 Total Abandon (Live in Australia, 1999)
  • 2000 In Concert With the London Symphony Orchestra
  • 2001 Live at the Rotterdam Ahoy 30/10/00
  • 2001 The Soundboard Series
  • 2003 Bananas
  • 2005 Rapture of the Deep

With

Guest appearances with other artists

Various artist compilations and tributes

External links

 

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