The Gemini Suite
The Gemini Suite is a live recording of Jon Lord's blend of classical and rock writing, performed by the Mark II line-up of Deep Purple. It captures the only live performance of the piece, which took place in 1970. The suite follows on from the band's earlier Concerto project, and Lord shaped it in five movements, each written for an individual member of the group, with a guitar piece for Ritchie Blackmore among them.
The album came out on RPM in 1993, so it arrived long after the performance it documents. It sits alongside Deep Purple in Rock in the story of that period, when Lord's orchestral ambitions ran parallel to the band's heavier direction. If you enjoy the point where hard rock meets classical composition, and want to hear the Mark II players stepping into a very different setting, it is a rewarding listen.
The Gemini Suite: tracklist and credits
3 tracks · 44:34Tracklist
- 1The Gemini Suite: I. Guitar, OrganJon Lord17:23
- 2The Gemini Suite: II. Voice, BassJon Lord10:19
- 3The Gemini Suite: III. Drums, FinaleJon Lord16:52
- Recorded at
- Royal Festival Hall
- Recorded
- at the Royal Festival Hall, London 17 September 1970.
- Label
- RPM
- Length
- 44:34
Line-up
- Ritchie Blackmore · guitar
- Roger Glover · bass
- Jon Lord · organ
- Ian Paice · drums (drum set)
- Ian Gillan · lead vocals
From MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Only what the sources record is shown.
More from Deep Purple
Full discography →The best of 1993
All of 1993 →Releases and pressings
How we know the release date only month precision available
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 1993 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | July 1993 | |
| Wikidata | 1993 | |
| UK / Europe release | 1993 | earliest UK or European date |
5 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | GB | RPM | 5022911311148 | original |
| 1999 | GB | Purple Records | 5022911304317 | other |
| 2003 | GB | Purple Records | 5022911304317 | other |
| 2006 | GB | Purple Records | 5022911304317 | other |
| 23 July 2008 | JP | Victor | other |
Cover art sources
coverartarchive · upscaled: major: best source 937x936, upscaled to 1500 (x1.60)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| coverartarchive ✓ | 937×936 | upscaled: major: best source 937x936, upscaled to 1500 (x1.60) |