JAZZBO NOTE HIGHLY RECOMMENDED RECORDING
Rating: 
Alright, Dregs of the Earth (originally issued on the Arista label) doesn’t hit quite the same heights as Night of the Living Dregs or Freefall, but it’s still darned good. Besides, where else are you going to find the Dregs’ unique fusion blend of Southern rock, jazz, bluegrass, and funk?
So, why isn’t it as good, anyway? Steve Morse wasn’t any less of a guitarist, that’s for sure. The rest of the musicians are on the same wizardly level. You’ve got Andy West on bass, Allen Sloan on violin, Rod Morgenstern on drums, and T. Lavitz on keys. On the introduction of I’m Freaking Out, T. Lavitz bangs out Tynerish modal lines and comping that wouldn’t be out of place coming from a post bop player like Hal Galper. On the same tune, Andy West’s popping is as funky as bassist Darryl “The Munch” Jones was on Miles Davis’ Decoy, from around the same time.
The trouble for me is that the band sounds most excited playing out of a bluegrass bag, as in Pride O’ The Farm. The enthusiasm doesn’t seem to be as high on the funk/fusion tunes as before.
Lastly, the compositions just don’t rock as hard as they did on Night of the Living Dregs or Freefall. Mind you, they’re still complex and interesting, and perfectly executed by the band. There’s a higher percentage of mellow tunes, which as beautiful as they are, are not what knocks me out about this band.
I guess what I’m trying to say is I can’t really give a whole lot of good reasons why I prefer Night of the Living Dregs and Freefall over Dregs of the Earth. It’s a matter of taste to some extent.
That said, Dregs of the Earth is still a very good release, and well worth owning. If you’re a Dregs fanatic, it’s absolutely essential.
