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GEMINI SUITE

Jon Lord

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Jon Lord Gemini Suite album cover
3.56 | 61 ratings | 4 reviews | 21% 5 stars

Excellent addition to any
rock music collection

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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)

Releases information

Artwork: Jim Willis, Westfore Design

LP Purple Records ‎- TPSA 7501 (1971, UK)
LP Line Records ‎- OLLP 5317 (1983, Germany)

CD Line Records ‎- LICD 9.00122 O (1987, Germany)
CD Purple Records ‎- PUR 354C (2008, UK) Remastered by Nick Watson
CD Ear Music ‎- 0211621EMU (2016, Germany) Remastered by Rob Cass, new cover art

NOTE: A live version of this album recorded with the full Deep Purple line-up also exists.
The Deep Purple version was actually recorded earlier, but the studio version was released first.

Thanks to Bilek for the addition
and to Quinino for the last updates
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JON LORD Gemini Suite ratings distribution


3.56
(61 ratings)
Essential: a masterpiece of rock music(21%)
21%
Excellent addition to any rock music collection(39%)
39%
Good, but non-essential (36%)
36%
Collectors/fans only (3%)
3%
Poor. Only for completionists (0%)
0%

JON LORD Gemini Suite reviews


Showing all collaborators reviews and last reviews preview | Show all reviews/ratings

Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Gatot
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator
3 stars This debut solo album by Deep Purple's keyboard player, Jon Lord, made a big surprise to the rock music fan because Jon offered something totally different with Deep Purple's music undertaking. Look at the music style which was totally different with most of any Deep Purple releases - except for "Concerto for Group and Orchestra". As we all know that musicians require some breaks from regularity playing certain kind of music to another style which usually in the forms of "project". There are many musicians doing that, like GTR, ASIA, Liquid Tension Experiment, Transatlantic, Platypus. In the case of Jon lord he made his own undertakings through exploration of classical music. The music on this album was originally written as a commission for the BBC and first performed at The Festival Hall with Deep Purple and the Orchestra of The Light Music Society in 1970.

As you may have guessed from the track title, it's very obvious that this album is an exploration of each soloist (guitar, piano, drums, vocals, bass-guitar, and organ) augmented with orchestra. It depends on how you perceive the orchestra music but for me personally, this is an enjoyable album by Jon Lord. I almost like all tracks feature excellent orchestra. What makes me interested is the "Piano" where bass guitar plays significant role.

Overall, this is a good album which indicates Jon's capability to create music score with good composition.

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

Review by GruvanDahlman
PROG REVIEWER
3 stars For me, a lover of Hammond organ, Jon Lord stands as one of the top five organ grinders of all time. Maybe, even, he's the greatest. Few organ players have been able to squeese, bend and distort the keyboard like him. Listening to the great(er) live albums by Deep Purple or those made in the studio, one is surely, regardless of ones preference in music, bound to be impressed by him.

So, knowing full well his love for classical music one could expect an album based on elements from that genre. In many of his recordings with Purple (and others) there are classical elements to be found and since Deep Purple seemed to stray more and more into Heavy metal territory, what could be more fitting than seeing Lord making a solo album in his own taste?

Actually, Gemini Suite is as progressive as it gets. Classical meets rock and gives birth to progressive music and they build a home named Gemini Suite and their furniture are long pieces of presumably epic proportions. Great!

But, and there is one, the music tends to be somewhat overwhelming and overbearing. Thus the music becomes too heavy handed and almost self centered. There is nothing really obviously wrong with the music, it is all very well played and composed. One has to give him credit for this work. However, it fails to grasp me and leaves me rather indifferent in the end. I think that the track "Organ" is the best of the lot. Begonning with an orchestra performing a classical sounding theme, Lord's organ creeps in to the picture and allows him to demonstrate his skill on the keys.

This may have been a visionary album in it's day and I applaud his effort. I can even say that I feel warmly about this album, though it fails to enthrall me in the way other albums by Lord (and associates mostly, I must confess) does. So, no matter how epic, progressive and visionary it may be, the album falls on it's face and leaves only a slab of classically infused prog on the ground. Impressive but not engaging. Sorry.

Latest members reviews

3 stars Potentially the first work marrying classical music with rock ensemble to that level of experiment alongside the previous 1970 Deep Purple album, this one was cautious not to carry the DP moniker. Playing at the orchestra level and Jon Lord's contribution are astonishing. Lord showcases a lot of ... (read more)

Report this review (#2970997) | Posted by sgtpepper | Tuesday, December 5, 2023 | Review Permanlink

5 stars British Keyboard wizard JON LORD needs no introduction. Oh Lordy-Lordy, where do we begin with such a legend of the keyboards. He was born in Leicester in 1941, where he studied classical piano from the tender age of five. He moved to London in 1959-60 and joined his first band, The Artwoods, in ... (read more)

Report this review (#2284446) | Posted by Psychedelic Paul | Thursday, November 28, 2019 | Review Permanlink

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