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Deep Purple
Live at Montreux 2006 [HD DVD]
Release Date: 2007 06 11
Label: Eagle Records
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Purple's first live album without keyboardist/founder Jon Lord finds the band returning to Montreux for the festival's 40th anniversary in 2006. It's a spirited affair and even though this single-disc CD is edited down by about a third from the DVD of the same show, available separately, it's still a rousing document from these hard working hard rockers. Purple was touring behind its new album at the time, 2006's Rapture of the Deep, and three of its songs are featured here, all lumped together in the middle of the set. The tunes ("The Wrong Man," "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" and the title track) have a prog/jazz feel to them, perhaps influenced by guitarist Steve Morse who comes from that background with his work for Kansas and the Dixie Dregs. While none of them are likely to be future classics, it does push Purple's boundaries in a logical direction without losing the guitar/organ interplay so integral to the sound. Singer Ian Gillan can't quite navigate some of the high notes on the new additions or the hits that dominate the disc's playing time like he used to. But otherwise Purple sounds tight and committed despite having played much of this music on nearly every show for three decades. The bluesy "When a Blind Man Cries," somewhat of a rarity originally recorded in the Machine Head days, makes an appearance just before the closing batch of evergreens that wrap up the concert. Don Airey gets a solo spot, similar to Rick Wakeman's in Yes shows, to feature his skills on various keyboards. In five minutes he shifts from prog to boogie woogie to classical and jazz with uncanny grace, although how many times you'll want to hear it is questionable. Steve Morse's analogous showcase on guitar is only available on the DVD. A nearly nine-minute take on "Highway Star" kicks off with a prog jam that includes licks from the Yardbirds' "Over, Under, Sideways, Down" before hitting its familiar riff. The quintet also goofs around with a surprisingly effective straight-ahead jazz version of "Smoke on the Water" before pounding out the metal chords that launched a million air guitarist's bedroom fantasies. Bassist Roger Glover and drummer Ian Paice, the latter Purple's only original member, make a formidable rhythm section that keeps the pocket grounded in its hard rock origins, yet remains flexible enough to invite bits of other genres to the table. Nearly four decades into its career, Deep Purple is as powerful and dedicated as at any time in its storied history. [An HD DVD was also released.] Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide








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