Steve Morse Band – Live In Baden-Baden Germany March 1990

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In-Akustik
Produced by Dieter Wendrich

Outside of his main employers Deep Purple, Steve Morse focuses on incredibly creative and highly respected instrumental rock music with his first major band, Dixie Dregs, and with his own solo band. This release brings two vintage performances by the Steve Morse Band from German television to DVD for the first time.

The main feature concert on this disc is the complete performance from March 21, 1990 at the SWR Studios in Baden-Baden, Germany. This show is one of the first to feature the brand new second SMB line-up, with Dave LaRue (also in Dixie Dregs) on bass and Van Romaine on drums. The pair would go on to record Southern Steel with Steve the following year, and every SMB and Steve Morse solo release since.

The picture and sound quality is absolutely pristine, as good you could possibly wish for from a very early ’90s recording. The setlist includes pretty much every classic SMB and Dixie Dregs song up to that point, plus some songs that would be recorded on the forthcoming album, all strung out into glorious instrumental jams, exhibiting each member’s undoubted talent beautifully. The only disappointment is the omission of Take It Off The Top, one of the best and most well-known Dixie Dregs tunes.

The “bonus vision” material comes from the same TV station, recorded six years earlier with the original Steve Morse Band line-up of original Dixie Dregs drummer Rod Morgenstein (later of Winger) and bassist Jerry Peek. All four of the songs performed are in fact Dixie Dregs songs; the band presumably not having recorded their debut album yet. The quality is again magnificent, possibly even better than the 1990 recording.

The final bonus, capping off a veritable feast of visual Morse, is the original promo video for Cruise Missile, from the first SMB album. Looking rather dated now (again, 1984) it’s still a great curio for fans. Morse fans should be very excited about this release. Everyone else really should check it out as a great introduction to the other side of Deep Purple’s arguably finest guitarist, and the guy that’s won some coveted guitarist awards so many times he’s actually been banned from winning them ever again. A rare chance to watch the best do what he does best.

“ feast of visual Morse ”

Tracklist: The Introduction / General Lee / Country Colors / Sleaze Factor / Highland Wedding / Tumeni Notes / Point Counterpoint / Night Meets Light / Ice Cakes / Rock ‘n’ Roll Park / Pride O’ The Farm / Cruise Missile

Bonus Tracks: Refried Funky Chicken / Northern Lights / Pride O’ The Farm / Rock ‘n’ Roll Park / Cruise Missile (Promo video)

Written by Andy Lye
More: Instrumental, Live DVDs, Rock, Steve Morse Band