Jon Lord

Jon Lord has mostly been known since the 1960s as the member of Deep Purple with the serious musical ambitions -- of writing and arranging elaborate progressive rock-style suites and concerti for rock band and orchestra in various configurations. But in the mid-'60s, he played mostly American-style blues with a group called the Hoochie Coochie Men, and that's what this concert video is about -- filmed at a 2003 gig in Australia, it captures Lord and Rainbow alumnus Bob Daisley and his 2003-vintage band the Hoochie Coochie Men in concert, doing a straight mid-'60s British blues set comprised of pieces by Freddie King ("Hideaway"), Booker T. & the MG's ("Green Onions"), Elmore James ("Dust My Broom"), even working in "Strange Brew" by Cream (most impressive as an all-acoustic number) and Deep Purple's "When a Blindman Cries." Tim Gaze's singing and playing is more than equal to the challenge, as Lord and the band stretch out on most of this repertory. The disc comes with biographies of the personnel and also the two songs that Lord and the Hoochie Coochie Men performed on Australian television the same day as the gig captured on this disc, plus a promotional clip of "When a Blindman Cries," featuring Jimmy Barnes on vocals. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide