JON LORD: More 'Concerto For Group And Orchestra' Details Revealed

August 8, 2012

Legendary DEEP PURPLE keyboardist Jon Lord always wanted a studio recording of his famed Concerto For Group And Orchestra. Only recently did he publicly make this wish a reality. In what turned out to be his swan song, he assembled guest musicians such as IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson, Joe Bonamassa (BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION) and DEEP PURPLE guitarist Steve Morse at the Abbey Road Studios to work with his trusted partner, director Paul Mann, on the 2012 version of the legendary concert.

"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," Lord said in a May 2011 interview. "It is therefore a marvelous and exciting prospect to have the definitive recording of the definitive version of the score."

He added, "I'm thrilled to have the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic on board. I have immensely enjoyed working with them on several occasions since recording Durham Concerto with them in 2007. They are a wonderful group of players, and with Paul Mann conducting — a dear friend and a man who knows the score inside out — there couldn't be a better conductor and orchestra for this studio recording of the Concerto."

On July 16, Lord passed away in London at the age of 71. This album is a joyful testament of a great musician and fantastic man.

"His dignity and graciousness touched us all," the surviving members of DEEP PURPLE said in a statement following Lord's passing. "His music was an inspiration and took us to places beyond our imagination… A truly great man. We humbly express our eternal love and great respect."

Jon Lord's Concerto For Group And Orchestra will be released on September 25 via Eagle Rock Entertainment.

The track listing is as follows:

01. Movement One
02. Movement Two
03. Movement Three

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