JON LORD - Gemini Suite (1971 UK Prog Related)Full Album

Jon Lord biography Jonathan Douglas Lord - 9 June 1941 (Leicester, England) - 16 July 2012 "I still think the fusion of a group and orchestra has validity, if only for entertainment. And in fact I am working on a solo project this week with the London Symphony Orchestra. We are recording my 'Gemini Suite' at the EMI Studios in London." Jon Lord, 1971. Jon Lord was born in Leicester, in the Midlands region of Great Britain, on June 9th 1941. Through his father's influence he took up classical music lessions at a very early age. The jazz bug that swept England in the early 60's also caught Lord up. He played piano in jazz quartets to make ends meet while in Drama college after having moved to London. This led to him joining Red Bludd's Bluesicians, renamed The Art Wood Combo (aka The Artwoods) when Art (older brother of Ronnie Wood) came in on vocals in 1963. Jon acquired his first electric organ in 1963. They secured a record deal with Decca, and he continued with them until a meeting with a certain guitarist named Ritchie Blackmore - after which they soon formed the seminal rock group DEEP PURPLE. As the group's spokesman and musical leader, he led Deep Purple through their most progressive era. Using his classical training, Deep Purple experimented with orchestrated structures apparent on such songs as "Exposition", "The Shield", and "April". Lord took his place along Emerson (with The Nice at the time) at experimenting the fusion of classical music and rock music... in other words symphonic prog, plus Jazz, Neo Classical and mainstream elements. Tensions within the band simmered as the group resisted Lord's classical rock tendencies and wanted to pursue a more 'rock' bent. Things came to head after the landmark live album "The Concerto for Group and Orchestra", after which Blackmore assumed the creative lead in the group's direction. Lord's passion was not so easily quenched though. While he remained in Deep Purple, he worked on his first solo album, a continuation of his Deep Purple experiments. The 1971 album "Gemini Suite",while the results are decidedly mixed, was another milestone in symphonic prog. He was one of the few artists directly working for the union of classical music and rock. Additional symphonic prog albums followed in 1974 with "Windows", working with classical musician Eberhard Schoener. He released the last of his 70's experiments with symphonic prog with the acclaimed "Sarabande". Widely regarded as his best work of the three 1970's solo releases. After which he formed Paice-Ashton-Lord with Purple drummer Ian Paice and longtime friend and musical collaborator, the late, great Tony Ashton. Later albums followed that may or not have interest to fans of prog. Recommended for those prog-historians who want to trace the truest sense, in a way, of symphonic prog - the merging of classical and rock. Studio Album, released in 1971 Songs / Tracks Listing 1. Guitar (9:00) 2. Piano (8:07) 3. Drums (7:22) 4. Vocals (5:51) 5. Bass Guitar (5:04) 6. Organ (12:00) Total Time: 47:24 Line-up / Musicians - Jon Lord / piano (2), organ (6), composer With: - The London Symphony Orchestra - Malcolm Arnold / conductor - Albert Lee / guitar (1) - Roger Glover / bass (5) - Ian Paice / drums (3) - Tony Ashton / vocals (4) - Yvonne Elliman / vocals (4)