In preparation for the open house....

[MikeVt]

...I'd like to familiarize myself with some of the other endorsing guitarists.

As some of you know, I was drawn to EB guitars by Petrucci. I'd like to learn more about some of the others as solo artists before the open house. Would you guys be able to recommend one CD from each of the following artists that best showcases their style and playing ability?

1. Steve Morse (I was thinking about picking up 'Prime Cuts')
2. Steve Lukather
3. Vinnie Moore (I was thinking about picking up 'Mind's Eye')

Any suggestions?
MikeVt

 

[kbaim]

Luke - Baked Potato Super Live (expensive but 80's ass kicking fusion)
Morse - High Tension Wires (generally regarded as his masterpiece)

 

[SteveB]

MikeVt,

"Mind's Eye" is a great Vinnie Moore album.. still my favorite. It's sorta neo-classical with some jazz bent thrown in. I like every track on it, but my favorites are the first two (can't remember the name of the 1st track, but "Daydream" is the 2nd I think) and then the song "The Journey". When I first bought this record, is was an actual vinyl 33 1/3 LP album! I had Vinnie autograph it an an in-store clinic the year it came out. Then, after Cd's became the norm, I bought the record again in Cd format.

My favorite Morse disc would be "High Tension Wires".

I can't recommend any Lukather, as I'm a total Luke dummy. I've heard him with Toto and that's about it. (Actually, I'm sure I've heard him on a million different artists' albums and just didn't know it.)

 

[JDouglee]

LUKATHER: Candyman or No Substitutions w/Larry Carlton

MORSE: Night of the Living Dregs - Dixie Dregs

 

[kbaim]

Mike, the other thing you can do is get a couple of DVD's.

Steve Lukather and Los Lobotmys (7 tunes, great playing, steve singing).

And Steve Morse has just released
DIXIE DREGS live in Montreaux -1978

I don't even have that one yet (this week prolly) but it's supposed to be unbeleivable and Steve was 25-30 at the time.

If you like violin, you should like the dregs.

 

[mbgreene]

With Morse, most people tend to recommend, and rightly so, classic stuff like "High Tension Wires" and "Soutern Steel"

I also happen to really enjoy the more recent, "Major Impacts" and "Major Impacts 2" which don't get as much press.

They are original Morse compositions in the styles of his influences. I may be partial to them probably because they are also some of my historical favorites. He's not doing covers, but when you here the songs you can pick up the influence immediately. It also shows his ability to compose and play in a number of different styles. From Hendrix, Cream, Zep and Beck, through keyboard centric stuff like ELP and Genesis. Ties to his Kansas and DP stints (including a Nugent tie in), southern influences of The Allman Brothers, Skynyrd and ZZ Top and even classical and his celtic and cajun roots among others.

He also uses the current SMB lineup of Dave Larue and Van Romaine who are also incredible. With that lineup I would also recommend Stress Fest.

 

[Luiz Gustavo]

For Steve Morse tunes I would go with STRESSFEST.

Awesome !!!!!

 

[kbaim]

Yeah, STRESSFEST is GOLD. Has one of my alltime favorite's on it the haunting EYES OF A CHILD.

Most cuts on that cd have a harder edge. Pretty R&R. Released shortly after he joined DP

 

[savannah_sean]

I agree with Keith that "High Tension Wires" is a Morse Masterpiece, and a wonderful album. For composition and texture, this is it. For heavier, more rock-oriented stuff, I like Southern Steel, Coast to Coast, and Stressfest.

 

[Derek]

My favorites

Luke -Los Lobotomys- Early 90's

Vinnie Moore- The Maze-(1999) combines all his rock and Neo Classical influences together

Morse -Southern Steel(1990?) is hard to beat. Romaine, la rue and Morse Killer line up.

 

[NorM]

I'm with you Derek
Southern Steel is my favorite Morse.

 

[MikeVt]

Thanks guys! Based on all the feedback, here's what I'm thinking:

Steve Morse: High Tension Wires & Stressfest
Steve Lukather: Los Lobotomys (maybe the DVD)
Vinnie Moore: Mind's Eye

I listened to a few samples of the Morse CDs on Amazon, and since they are so different, I'd like to try more than one. If I like those, then I'll move on to others - like Southern Steel, etc. Has anyone listened to Prime Cuts? There are so many cool guest artists on it (like the DT guys) that I'm really tempted. Any reviews?

Thanks again for all the help with this!
MikeVt

 

[kbaim]

Mike,
I think prime cuts is a compilation of Major Impacts 1 and 2 with a couple extra tunes thrown in.

Don't know how others feel about those, but I certainly don't think they're the place to START. Maybe end up.

JMHO.

 

[tommyindelaware]

split decisions is as good a place as any for starters. a nice mix of material & not QUITE as chop heavy .....but still..........
chop wise .....coast to coast has 100 licks nobody will ever be able to actually reproduce accurately.........just terrifying to me......
it's pretty much impossible for me to break it all down so simply though.......

 

[MikeVt]

Gotcha - thanks Keith

Hmmmm....terrifying chops, eh Tommy? Maybe I need to rethink this . Of course stuff like that is unique in that it is both inspiring and depressing at the same time!

MikeVt

 

[beej]

Southern Steel and Coast to Coast were my first Morse albums and still my faves. I prefer the heavier stuff. And yeah ... his playing on those albums is out of this world ... (though, when is his playing not incredible).

 

[kbaim]

I think I prefer the more inventive stuff than the hardstuff, though there always seems to be some of both on every cd.

Put a gun to my head and I'd say I prefer the dregs over SMB. I just love what keys and violin adds to the compositions.

If you can find the dregs live cd "bring em back alive" get it. My favorite live album ever.

Tommy what's your take? DREGS or SMB?
No hedging either.

 

[tommyindelaware]

I think I prefer the more inventive stuff than the hardstuff, though there always seems to be some of both on every cd.

Put a gun to my head and I'd say I prefer the dregs over SMB. I just love what keys and violin adds to the compositions.

If you can find the dregs live cd "bring em back alive" get it. My favorite live album ever.

Tommy what's your take? DREGS or SMB?
No hedging either.

it's all too intertwined for me to pick.

steve's tone on cruise control.....the section where it's only steve & rod.....then just steve.........my god !!!!!!!! and captured live !!!!!! marshall amps should changed their name to morse amps at that point . state of the art tone !!!!!! when #1 jubilee is runnin hot......it's LEATHAL .

i also like full circle ALOT !!!!

 

[MikeVt]

Put a gun to my head and I'd say I prefer the dregs over SMB. I just love what keys and violin adds to the compositions.

For some reason, I just don't recall ever hearing the Dregs, although I've heard their name for years. I must have grown up in a bubble. I also like what keys add to music, but I'm not sure about the violin thing. I do like the sound of big lush productions - especially the blending of symphony orchestras with electric guitar leads. Call me biased, but I think the guitar should always be out front. Is this what we are talking about, or a single violin kind of thing?

MikeVt

 

[savannah_sean]

It's a single violin kind of thing- but check out Jerry Goodman's tone on "Full Circle"- it is, how you say...bitchin'