Jon Lord
Concerto for Group and Orchestra
CD
Eagle Records
10 out of 10
Rest In Peace Mr. Jon Lord.
Concerto for Group and Orchestra was originally recorded live in 1969 with DEEP PURPLE and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. It has seen many performeds and recorded variations (I happen to have it on DVD Audio that I bought about 10 years ago), but it was never recorded in a studio until now.
With the help of Guy Pratt, Brett Morgan, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Paul Mann, Bruce Dickenson, Steve Balsamo, Kasia Laska, Joe Bonamassa, Darin Vasilev, and Steve Morse, Jon Lord was able to finalize a dream that had taken 43 years, 30 performances with different orchestras and conductors all over the world, and 30 more performances with Deep Purple themselves.
Thankfully Jon was able to approve the final mixes before he passed away earlier this year.
Most Deep Purple fans already know about Concerto, and even some casual fans may. This isn’t an album for the fan expecting Smoke on the Water with strings. This is a true musical concerto that was composed by Jon Lord. Yes it ‘rocks out’ in some parts, but this is a true musical movement that needs to be heard to be appreciated.
I’m not sure the casual music fan can appreciated the music and subtle nuances of Concerto for Band and Orchestra that Jon Lord has written, but if you sit, listen, and open your ears and mind you’ll hear the unmistakable strains of Jon Lord’s Hammond B and you’ll hear wonderful performances from Bruce Dickinson that you would never have thought possible.
Concerto for Band and Orchestra is credited as the first ‘marriage’ of rock band and orchestra. Paving the way for the likes of Metallica’s S&M and Roger Waters‘ The Wall performance in Berlin Germany as well as a slew of other rock/orchestra events.
You deserve to hear Concerto for Band and Orchestra. You need to hear Concerto for Band and Orchestra. You’ll thank me later.
