Details About Forthcoming Jon Lord Album

"Over these last years since leaving Deep Purple, I've played it over 30 times with different orchestras and conductors all over the world, and, of course, in 2000 I did it well over 30 times with Purple on the Concerto tour, so I've been honing the piece live on stage, and I've had the opportunity to change things in the score that weren't sounding quite right. It is therefore a marvellous and exciting prospect to have the definitive recording of the definitive version of the score." (Jon Lord May 2012)

Jon Lord recorded the marvellous rhythm section - Guy Pratt (Pink Floyd, Madonna) & Brett Morgan (Jon Anderson, Sting) and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (with whom Jon had recorded twice before) in June 2011 in Liverpool - conducted by Paul Mann. The production then moved to Abbey Road Studios in London to record Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson (on vocals with Steve Balsamo and Kasia Laska) and Joe Bonamassa, Darin Vasilev and Steve Morse on guitars.

Happily, Jon got to hear and approve the final mixes a few weeks before he passed away. The family and earMUSIC decided to proceed with the release of the album in October as scheduled, as this seemed the best way to celebrate and pay tribute to Jon and his beautiful music. Thus this superb studio recording of "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" is exactly the way Jon wanted us to hear it and will now hopefully become Jon's legacy for generations to come.

With his legendary organ blues-rock sound, Deep Purple's founder Jon Lord has influenced decades of rock musicians. He is with no doubt the pioneer of fusing rock and classical/baroque forms and became one of the most important composers of the last few decades.

Jon Lord co-wrote many of Deep Purple's legendary songs including 'Smoke On The Water' and played with many bands and musicians throughout his career (Whitesnake, Paice Ashton Lord, George Harrison). Best known for his orchestral work "Concerto For Group And Orchestra" first performed and recorded at Royal Albert Hall with Deep Purple and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1969, conducted by the renowned Malcolm Arnold - a feat repeated in 1999 when it was again performed at the Royal Albert Hall by the London Symphony Orchestra and Deep Purple.