Free Fall [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Andy West, Dixie Dregs | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 14, 1998)
• Original Release Date: 1977
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Capricorn / Umgd
• ASIN: B000009D68
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #95,764 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Japanese only SHM-CD paper sleeve pressing. Universal. 2012. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Beginnings, for the Best Band I've Ever Heard, December 19, 2001

By 

Damon C Torres (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Free Fall (Audio CD)

Steve Morse (Guitar) and the stellar members of the Dixie Dregs, including longtime bandmates Rod Morgenstern (Drums) and T Lavitz (Keys) are simply the most incredible musicians this music addict has ever heard. Steve's genre-transcending compositions are the key, both modest (for the fun parts he shares with his bandmates rather than plays himself) to the most inspired, impressive and technically advanced guitar work by Maestro Morse himself. This music soars like no other I have ever heard. And I am a very hungry and eclectic listener. It is a must for every serious listener who appreciates fast-moving and complex instrumental music. Other faves are "Dregs of the Earth", "Unsung Heroes" and the Steve Morse Band's "Coast to Coast". There is not a single music offering led by Steve Morse that I do not own at least one copy of, and each one was worth far more than what I paid for it given the enjoyment each has provided. This is my favorite music - for over twenty years. Now my eight year old daughter is becoming a fan, and an accomplished musician herself.

Note: The first Dregs album "The Great Spectacular" (more like a demo) has songs re-recorded for Freefall and other albums.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars nice fusion record!, November 14, 2006

By 

Suprematist Juggernaut (7th superuniverse) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Free Fall (Audio CD)

This is my favorite Dixie Dregs album. The band sounds very tight, looking forward to show thier possibilities after years in endless music college and finally recording for a major label.

All the themes roll on in a free spirit mood, It doesn't have that peculiar feeling of great tension and emotional intensity you experience normally on fusion records of such bands from the same period as Return to Forever, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Eleventh House or Weather Report. Not that i don't enjoy it, on the contrary, I dig 70's jazz fusion a lot. But fusion is not for ocasional distracted listening. Maybe the southern rock influence does the difference. However, I believe that this is not their true essence, because when they jam hard like real jazz musicians (and only jazz musicians) can do, that's when I stare at my cd player and say "Now, we're talking!".

The music here is very cool, all the musicians performance is great without extrapolations, specially guitar and bass parts.

So, I guess it's a band for musicians, yes, just like a fusion band has to be, but it's also highly recomended for people who are searching for fine melodies and well structured instrumental tunes. Morse and his fellows show that you can be a virtuose on your instrument, having a great sense of melody and composition and do not sound like a speedfreak machine repeating licks after licks trying to reach the speed of light.

my favorite tunes are free fall, holiday, refried funky chicken.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect debut album, January 2, 2001

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Free Fall (Audio CD)

Dixie Dregs are one of my alltime best artists. I agree to the other reviews. Almost any CD of them would get 5 stars. I choose this CD, because its their first (official) one, and already is perfect. Great musicians produce a perfect instrumental blend of a selection of the most accessable and uplifting styles, from classical touch, southern, jazz, rock, pop and much more. If you like mahavishnu orchestra, or anything which might be called fusion and mixes more than one musical style, here you find a mixture which will make you smile. For me, the featured styles are not important, and I don't care if I forgot to mention one, or got them wrong totally. They just play varied uplifting music which is very accessable and capturing. Every member adds incredible skill and taste, and every song adds to the impression this CD has while listening. All put together, this CD is much more than the sum of the songs. If I listen to this CD from start to finish, I just feel, that everything it maximized for pure joy of listening. And it works. If you want to even go further, you can check out their Live CDs where the loss of studio perfection is more than compensated by added fun (!) and power (!!). So don't be afraid, thinking it might be academic jazz training lessons, or your parents dino-music from 1970. Give it a try and see, if you enjoy it that much as I do.