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| David Meadows... |
 Posted: Sun Sep 06, 2009 2:05 pm |
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One of the best sites on the web at the moment is http://jonlord.org.
There's always something new posted there and there's loads, I mean LOADS of
video footage of Jon in action from recent gigs.
Jon isn't touring at anywhere near the mad pace of Deep Purple but he's got
a healthy list of future bookings. I've seen Jon four times in the UK in the
last two years and I'm happy to say that every show has been completely
unique -- there really is no such thing as a "typical" Jon Lord show.
Two concerts I'm looking forward to in the next few weeks: first I'll be in
Dublin on September 24th, where he should be playing the entire Concerto for
Group and Orchestra plus solo work with his band. Then two weeks later I'll
be in Edinburgh (October 5th) where he'll be playing the Concerto with a
youth orchestra and band, plus I think jamming with young jazz and folk
musicians, which should be incredibly cool.
This is a GREAT time to be a Jon Lord fan :-)
--
David Meadows
http://www.heroes.force9.co.uk |
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| David Meadows... |
| Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:43 am |
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Jon Lord in Concert with the RTE Concert Orchestra, The National Concert
Hall, Dublin, 25 September 2009
This is the fifth time I've seen Jon Lord in the last two years, and the
incredible thing is that every show I have seen has been completely
different. I don't just mean a few improvisional tweaks added in, or even a
simple change to the setlist, I mean a completely different typeof show with
a different feel and sensibility.
My seat was dead centre and only the second row back from the stage, which
is the closest I have ever sat to an orchestra. It's directly behind the
conductor and as he's the man calling the shots I guess it's the equivalent
of sitting right in front of the mixing desk at a rock gig. The sound of the
orchestra is perfectly balanced.
The band was placed at the rear left of the stage, which is a set up I
haven't seen before, and it was a bit weird -- I couldn't see them at all --
but again perfect for sound from my seat. If it was the regular set up with
the band at the front, I think the drums would have deafened me. The band
also used minimal amplification and blended perfectly with the orchestral
sound.
The whole thing sounded perfect. But orchestras always sound perfect. And
Jon Lord's Concerto for Group and Orchestra is my favourite piece of
classical music. That's a big claim to make but it is honestly true: it has
everything I love from 20th century orchestral music PLUS is has a rock
band, including the sublime Hammond Organ. How can this not be the best
thing ever?
Soloists and orchestra were all excellent. I didn't get the conductor's name
but he was impressively enthusiastic and had a great music rapport with Jon
(Jon effectively "conducting" the soloists on his side of the stage). And I
love to see an orchestra actually enjoying the music (somewhere in the back
desks of the violins there was definite headbanging going on). So much
better than the grim faces on the 1969 film!
The Concerto filled the first half of the concert and the second half
included a set of pieces arranged for band and full orchestra, including:
Pictures of Home (basically the 1999 orchestration I think)
Bouree
The Sun Will Shine Again
Pictured Within
Wait a While
The Telemann Experiment
Gigue
For an encore, Jon brought an uileann piper on stage and they played one
movement from the Durham Concerto (the uilleann pipes taking the place of
the Northumbrian smallpipes, obviously).
The piper remained on stage and -- I don't expect you to believe this,
because I wouldn't if I hadn't seen it for myself -- played Ritchie's solo
from Soldier of Fortune. And it sounded amazing. That's got to be something
so unique, it was worth the trip just for that!
The final song of the evening was Child in Time. It sounded magnificent,
with a great organ solo and astonishing vocals. Though oddly this was the
one song where I didn't think the orchestration worked... it didn't detract
from the song but it didn't seem to add anything significant to it either.
The second half of the show lasted about 90 minutes but it didn't feel like
it... it just whizzed by. But add in the hour-long Concerto, and that's
amazing value for money.
Highlights of the show...... the principal cellist (several notable solos),
Steve Balsalmo (a voice reminiscent of a young Ian Gillan in timbre and
mannerisms), Kasia Laska (incredible emotion in her voice) and of course Mr
Lord himself for being the only man in the world who can sound like Jon
Lord.
Best concert I've ever heard.
David Meadows
http://www.heroes.force9.co.uk |
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