The rock world was stunned with the passing of Deep Purple/Whitesnake keyboard legend Jon Lord a few months back after a battle with cancer, and it's only fitting that his lifelong love for merging rock and classical music was the last studio project he was working on just prior to his death. Concerto for Group and Orchestra as it turns out is the final recording from the late 'Master of the Hammond B3', and features Lord alongside the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Paul Mann), guitar soloists Darin Vasilev, Joe Bonamassa, and Steve Morse, bassist Guy Pratt, drummer Brett Morgan, and vocalists Bruce Dickinson, Steve Balsamo, and Kasia Laska. Those who remember the legendary live recording of Concerto for Group and Orchestra by Deep Purple in 1969 at the Royal Albert Hall will no doubt be thrilled at this new studio version of that classic work.
The first movement "Moderato-Allegro" is a powerful near 17-minute opening statement of booming orchestral swells, Lord'd dramatic Hammond, and the lightning guitar solos of Vasilev, a very fine player who I'm sure most fans will want to hear more from after this. The lovely "Andante" begins with lush strings and the gorgeous vocals from Blasama & Laska, before the orchestra slowly builds up the tension towards a bluesy bluster with Bonamassa's searing solos, more Hammond, and the powerful vocals of Iron Maiden's frontman Bruce Dickinson. For the grand finale "Vivace-Presto", the orchestra again provides plenty of dramatic moments, eventually allowing Lord's complex passages and Morse's acrobatic solos to break into the mix. It's only fitting that the two former bandmates in Deep Purple, Lord and Morse, get to close out this wonderful recording together again.
Eagle Rock and earMUSIC have done a great job here on this release, which includes a fantastic booklet filled with color photos and info on the recording. You can see how frail Lord was looking at the time of these sessions, but he no doubt gave it his all and the results show. As a final testament to the greatness that was Jon Lord, this is a fitting tribute.
RIP Jon, you will be missed.
Track Listing
1) Moderato-Allegro (16:20)
2) Andante (19:34)
3) Vivace-Presto (10:48)
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