Eric Johnson - ...and on guitar (1994)

Eric Johnson was born on 17 August 1954 into a musical family, studying piano with his three sisters at an early age, while his father was a whistling enthusiast. He started learning the guitar at age 11 and rapidly progressed while listening to the musicians that would heavily influence his future style, including Mike Bloomfield, Chet Atkins, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and Django Reinhardt, among others. At the age of 15, he joined his first professional band, the psychedelic rock band Mariani, and in 1970 they recorded a demo, which saw an extremely limited release, and which became a prized collector's item some years later. I've had a copy of this since around the late 80's, but never knew Johnson appeared on it, so I must dig that out again. After graduating from high school, he briefly attended the University of Texas at Austin, and later traveled with his family to Africa, returning to Austin in 1974, and joining a local fusion group called Electromagnets. They toured and recorded regionally but didn't attract attention from major record labels, and so disbanded in 1977, but the strength of Johnson's playing had attracted a small cult following to the group's early recordings and, decades later, their two albums were given wide release on CD. Following the Electromagnets' demise, Johnson formed a touring trio, the Eric Johnson Group, with drummer Bill Maddox and bassist Kyle Brock, and between 1976 and 1978 they recorded the 'Seven Worlds' album, but due to contract disputes it was not released until 1998. Unable to secure a new management contract, Johnson began working as a session guitarist for some well-known acts, including Cat Stevens, Carole King, and Christopher Cross, and it was Cross's producer David Tickle who recommended Johnson to Warner Bros. Records, who signed him to their label. In 1986 he released his actual debut album 'Tones', with a cover story in Guitar Player helping to promote the release, but although 'Zap' was nominated for the 1987 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance, the album did not sell well, and Warner Bros. let Johnson's contract expire. 

Signing with indie label Cinema Records, distributed by Capitol Records, he released 'Ah Via Musicom' in 1990, and not only was he winning awards for his musicianship in the guitar press, but 'Cliffs Of Dover' won the 1991 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. The session work took a back seat while Johnson recorded his next album, but being an admitted perfectionist, he recorded, mastered and then scrapped several completed tracks for the new album, which delayed its release for three years, on top of the three years he had spent touring, and 'Venus Isle' eventually appeared in 1996. Despite demonstrating Johnson's growth as a guitarist, songwriter, producer, musical arranger, and vocalist, it received mixed reviews and did not match the success of its predecessor, and as a result he was dropped from Capitol Records. While recording 'Venus Isle' Johnson formed a side project called Alien Love Child with vocalist Malford Milligan, and played sporadic shows around Austin, and positive fan feedback from the shows made Alien Love Child a permanent gig. Johnson eventually returned to the recording studio, releasing 'Souvenir' in January 2002 on his own Vortexan Records label, followed by 'Bloom' in 2005, on Steve Vai's Favored Nations label, and then releasing a new record every few years since then. This collection starts with one of his earliest gigs with jazz organist Jack McDuff, then takes in those late 70's guest spots with Cat Stevens and Christopher Cross, and quite a bit of work from the mid 80's to the mid 90's. I have to admit that I wasn't that familiar with Johnson's work, so this has been as much as a revelation to me as it might be to you. 

Track listing

Disc One
01 Rolling Stone (from 'The Fourth Dimension' by Jack McDuff 1974)
02 Circle Song (from 'Once Upon A Rock' by American Peddlers 1977)
03 Dancin' With Tears In My Eyes (from 'Pearls' by Carole King 1980)
04 Bad Brakes (from 'Back To Earth' by Cat Stevens 1978)
05 Minstrel Gigolo (from 'Christopher Cross' by Christopher Cross 1979)
06 Rise Up (from 'Long Time Friends' by Alessi 1982)
07 SA Stroll (from 'Tomás Ramírez' by Tomas Ramirez 1983)
08 Save A Little Time (from 'Pressure' by Pressure 1983)

Disc Two
01 Recover Gracefully (from 'Marc Anthony Thompson' by Marc Anthony Thompson 1984)
02 Distant Star (from 'Stand Up' by Steve Morse Band 1985)
03 Ballad Of Fast Eddie (from 'Street Language' by Rodney Crowell 1986)
04 Western Flyer (from 'Guitar Speak' by Various Artists 1988)
05 Ronda (from 'Inside Out' by Jay Aaron 1990)
06 Our Dreams (from 'The Urge' by Stuart Hamm 1991)
07 Keep Coming Back (from 'Rush Street' by Richard Marx 1992)
08 Lights Of Louisiana (from 'The Hunter' by Jennifer Warnes 1992)
09 Somebody Loves Me Now (from 'Read My Licks' by Chet Atkins 1994)

Thank to Don for the suggestion.

Steve Morse - ...and on guitar (1997)

Steve J. Morse was born on 28 July 1954 in Hamilton, Ohio, after which his family moved to Tennessee, then Ypsilanti, Michigan, where Morse spent his childhood. Although familiar with piano and clarinet, he ultimately became interested in guitar, and played briefly with his older brother Dave in a band called The Plague. In the late 1960's he played in the band Three with his older brother and a junior high schoolmate, William Gerald (Jerry) Wooten on keyboards, performing at a local psychedelic youth club, the Glass Onion, and at Legion Halls and church functions. While enrolled in the Academy of Richmond County, Morse met bassist Andy West and together they formed the Dixie Grit, adding keyboardist Johnny Carr and guitarist and vocalist Frank Brittingham, with Dave Morse drumming. This short-lived group covered bands such as Led Zeppelin and Cream, before West and Morse left to continue to play as a duet billed as the Dixie Dregs, until Morse's expulsion from school in the 10th grade. He enrolled at the University of Miami School of Music, where he reunited with Andy West, and with the addition of drummer Bart Yarnold, keyboardist Frank Josephs and violinist Allen Sloan, they collaborated in a lab project entitled Rock Ensemble II. In 1975, the group compiled a recording of the project, releasing it on vinyl in 1976, and again on CD in 1997 as 'The Great Spectacular'. When he graduated in 1975, he and West officially named their group Dixie Dregs, adding Rod Morgenstein on drums, and began performing regularly, eventually gaining the attention of Capricorn Records, who signed the band in late 1976. Their first effort for Capricorn, the Morse-composed 'Free Fall', established him as an important newcomer to the fusion genre, being recognized for both his compositional skills and his musicianship, but despite receiving positive reviews as a pivotal jazz fusion album, it sold poorly. 'What If' followed in 1978, but with the writing credits being more collaborative, the band's sound had matured from what was considered fusion at the time, including Southern rock, classical, folk and country elements. 

The band were invited to perform at Montreux Jazz Festival on July 23, 1978, and the recorded performance was released the following year as 'Night Of The Living Dregs'. Capricorn went bankrupt in late 1979, and the Dixie Dregs were left without a label, but were quickly signed to Arista Records, and released three albums for the label. Around this time Morse started to add his guitar to records by other artists, and featured on an album by Liza Minelli in 1977, and with the Rob Cassels Band in 1979. Arista became increasingly concerned about Dixie Dregs' album sales and pressured the band to change their name to simply The Dregs, in an attempt to increase the band's visibility in the public eye. 'Unsung Heroes' included eight new Morse compositions in early 1981, but the name change did little to address Arista's worries, and the Dregs felt compelled by label management to add lyrics to their next release, appropriately titled 'Industry Standard'. Readers of Guitar Player magazine voted Morse 'Best Overall Guitarist' in their 1982 annual poll, an honour that he would hold for five consecutive years, but the band weren't happy with the constant touring , and after fulfilling their commitment to Arista, the Dregs disbanded in early 1983. Before they broke up they backed Fiona Flanagan on demos of some songs that she'd written, and after the 1983 breakup  Morse then formed the Steve Morse Band, a trio with bassist Jerry Peek and drummer Doug Morgan, who was replaced by Rod Morgenstein after Morgan left to fulfill previous commitments. The group toured Germany in early 1984 and was signed by Elektra Records, who released 'The Introduction' album mid-year. 

A second German tour began in December 1984 and 'Stand Up' was released in 1985, including guest vocalists and guitarists (Eric Johnson, Alex Ligertwood, Peter Frampton, Albert Lee, and  Van Temple), and violinist Mark O'Connor. In 1986 Morse joined Kansas, playing on their albums 'Power' and 'In The Spirit Of Things', but he left after the 'In The Spirit Of Things' tour to resume the Steve Morse Band with new personnel, bassist Dave LaRue and drummer Van Romaine, releasing several more albums for MCA Records.  In 1994 he was offered the chance to join Deep Purple, replacing Ritchie Blackmore, and played on all their studio albums from 1996's 'Purpendicular' onwards. In addition to playing with Deep Purple, in 2003 Morse formed the band Living Loud with Jimmy Barnes, Bob Daisley, Lee Kerslake and Don Airey, releasing one studio album and a live DVD in 2004/2005. In 2007 he began a collaboration with singer Sarah Spencer entitled Angelfire, and an album appeared in August 2010, after which he formed Flying Colors in 2011, which was an American supergroup composed of Mike Portnoy, Dave LaRue, Casey McPherson and Neal Morse, with their debut eponymous album being released in March 2012, followed by 'Second Nature' in 2014. Morse continued to act as a session player for a wide variety of artists while still a member of all these bands, playing on over 40 albums after the timeframe of this compilation, but here we concentrate on the emergent talent at the beginning of his career.   

Track listing

Disc One

01 The Battle's Won (from 'Evening Pastoral' by Rob Cassels Band 1979)
02 When It Comes Down To It (from 'Tropical Nights' by Liza Minnelli 1977)
03 Wait Until Tomorrow (from 'Schemer-Dreamer' by Steve Walsh 1980) 
04 Call In Love (unreleased demo with Dixie Dregs by Fiona Flanagan 1982)
05 Art In America (from 'Art In America' by Art in America 1983)
06 Sparkle Plenty (from 'Storytime' by T Lavitz 1986)
07 Opus 32: Swept Away By Tides (from 'Stone From Which The Arch Was Made' by 

                                                                                                                Mark O'Connor 1987)
08 Headed For Nowhere (from 'Surveillance' by Triumph 1987)

Disc Two
01 Don't Misunderstand Me (from 'Love Your Man' by The Rossington Band 1988)
02 Goodbye Blue Sky (Song For Dominique) (from 'Nashville Rendez-Vous' by Marcel Dadi 1990)
03 Morning Rush Hour (from 'Guitar Speak' by Various Artists 1991)
04 Talking Hands (from 'Lone Ranger' by Jeff Watson 1992)
05 Minute Mouse (from 'Coven, Pitrelli, O'Reilly' by CPR 1993)
06 You Offered Only Parabolas (from 'Thonk' by Michael Manring 1994)
07 4 Miles High (from 'Carmine Appice's Guitar Zeus' by Carmine Appice 1995)
08 Eagle (from 'Storm' by Torden & Lyn 1997)