tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564473.post113061338604133702..comments2024-01-15T05:32:24.873-05:00Comments on The Jon Rowe Archives: Jonathan Rowehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04079637406589278386noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564473.post-1149208981917546742006-06-01T20:43:00.000-04:002006-06-01T20:43:00.000-04:00Wow; ha, just a little different than Dust in the ...Wow; ha, just a little different than Dust in the Wind. Thanks for the album recommendations; I'll check them out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564473.post-1149206551614770452006-06-01T20:02:00.000-04:002006-06-01T20:02:00.000-04:00Thanks. Yes it sounds like we have similar tastes...Thanks. Yes it sounds like we have similar tastes in music. I've seen both Morse and Kansas countless times. I'll have to check out youtube for some of those clips.<BR/><BR/>Regarding Kansas, you should start off with any of their first 5 albums: Kansas, Masque, Song for America, Leftoverture, and Point of Know Return (or you could just buy either of their box sets). Leftoverture is probably their best album.<BR/><BR/>They made two solid albums -- Power, and In the Spirit of Things -- with Steve Morse. The only problem there was the record company was pushing hard for a hit, and made them do tunes in the more AOR genre (Boston, Journey, Foreigner, etc.) which comes to most people's minds when they hear "Kansas." Those albums weren't what they could have been. And that's a shame.<BR/><BR/>Steve Walsh was in his prime in those first 5 albums, and his voice I think was just incredible. He's lost a lot of that tone, regained some of it, but still doesn't sound like he used to.<BR/><BR/>Check out this clip from 1995. Walsh's voice is rough, but he still hits the right notes and phrases quite well. This violinist featured, David Ragsdale, is not the original member, though he is better player than Robby Steinhardt, the original. Steinardht shortly thereafter rejoined Kansas. And just a few months ago he quit and now Ragsdale is back in. <BR/><BR/>Ragsdale really shines in <A HREF="http://rich-williams.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/Medley.wmv" REL="nofollow">this clip</A>.Jonathan Rowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04079637406589278386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6564473.post-1149201645731002312006-06-01T18:40:00.000-04:002006-06-01T18:40:00.000-04:00Cool post. I usually read your posts on PL, but y...Cool post. I usually read your posts on PL, but you've got some good music- and especially guitar-related posts here. Although I do like prog rock (Crimson, and some Yes and Rush mainly), I had no idea that Kansas could be included in that genre, knowing them only by their two mega-hits. You mentioned that Kansas can hold their own with the other prog rock greats, so I'll definitely have to check out some of their early stuff. Steve Morse IMO is a more talented guitarist than the others in the more popular prog rock bands, with the exception of Petrucci and Fripp possibly. I don't know what the hell Fripp is doing though, so it's tough to measure him at all.<BR/><BR/>I have to slightly disagree with just one statement in this post, that Stevie Ray could play *everything* Hendrix could. I'll admit my bias up front; I'd wager I'm as much into Hendrix as you are Steve Morse, and I do like Stevie, but I tend to put them on more even ground technically. I don't think Jimi could play the fast Texas blues like 'Rude Mood' for example, but I doubt that Stevie could play, and improvise, something like 'Machine Gun' either. I know you weren't dissing Jimi and were focusing on technical proficiency, and SRV can definitely cover Hendrix tunes more than capably, but I guess I have to nitpick about 'everything' being italicized. There are local bar bands that can play Jimi songs note-for-note... and it isn't anything close to Hendrix.<BR/><BR/>Great posts though! I've been checking out youtube for videos, mainly guitarists, and I'll have to look for some Morse. I've found some great videos on there for Segovia and another one of my faves, Danny Gatton, on there also that I had never seen.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com