Major Impacts
WithMajor Impacts,Dixie Dregs/Kansas/Deep Purplevet Steve Morse attempts to give fans an aural portrait of the origins of his wide-ranging style. Rather than merely perform tunes associated with this guitar hero's guitar heroes, he has composed 11 tunes that reflect the styles of his influences. "Derailleur Gears" sets the tone, managing the tricky feat of evokingCream-eraClaptonwithout sounding like a slavish imitation. Stylists fromJimi HendrixtoRoger McGuinntoJohn McLaughlinare represented here, and all are readily recognizable. "TruthOla," a tribute toJeff Beck,Eric Johnson, andAlex Lifeson, falters only in its homage to the original Beck, offering the legato leads of Johnson and the suspended chords of Lifeson, but none of the riding-the-ragged-edge surprise of the Great One. Morse's greatest success, though, is creating a collection of instrumentals that will please even nonguitarists.--Michael Ross