THE GREAT SPECTACULAR

I picked up this album in '76 in Atlanta at a used record store. A friend of mine told me about them and described them as Mahavishnu Orchestra BBQ style. Most of the cuts here have been re-leased and expanded on their subsequent official albums on Capricorn and Arista labels.

It's a bit rough showing the Dregs in their early stages but their technical proficiency comes across just fine. Availability of this album is about nil now, but at least I still have my copy. As a Dregs album, I would rate it 3 1/2 stars. I think they got better in the later years.

Jazz version of Kansas music (from their golden, mid 70s era). Guys from Dixie Dregs dared to combine Country music (among other styles and believe me, it means a lot of styles) with Jazzy tunes and result is extraordinary.

Romantic a little bit, very pleasant way of doing Jazz while staying Prog enough (read not dull & full of (even pleasant) twists & interesting ideas in their music in this case). When I said that this is Jazzy Kansas, I really meant it. This was the first thing I realized when listening this album (well, not the first song exactly, but main thought of them all), it is, but at the same moment it isn't Kansas style. There's something new in it (and we already know what it is).

For me, it's not, but I'm not sure if these country elements won't be too much for someone. I have very good relationship to this genre, but songs fully hit by this such as Kathreen may be too much for some. And I believe that country isn't enjoying so much popularity here on PA.

4(+), fresh wind for me into this area.

This was one of the hardest to find LPs in my collection. The first Dixie Dregs album, released on their own label. Most of the songs were later rerecorded and released on their easier to find albums but this is still a gem.

The songs are less polished, and more raw than we are used to hearing them, and keyboard player Frank Josephs gives them a lighter touch. His playing often reminds me of Dave Stewart, and sometimes almost adds a Canterbury flavor.

Only one song on the album was never rerecorded. Kathreen is a typical Dregs bluegrass breakdown. Good, but not as fast as some of the later bluegrass pieces. And T.O. Witcher was not on any later Dregs albums, but was covered by Kansas when Morse was with them.