Artist: TONY ASHTON & JON LORD
Album: FIRST OF THE BIG BANDS DELUXE RE-ISSUE (DIGI)

Release date: 1974/ 2010
Media type: CD

In 1974 Jon Lord surfaced on not one, not two but three albums. All were world's apart from one another. Deep Purple's BURN was bluesy hard rock, and marked the debut of the band's new line-up. WINDOWS was a classical rock piece, recorded live in Germany with a full orchestra and rock
musicians. Making up the trio was FIRST OF THE BIG BANDS, a laid back project which emerged from three years of sessions by Jon Lord and old mate Tony Ashton. FIRST OF THE BIG BANDS is now properly reissued for the first time on CD.

The album was begun as far back as the autumn of 1971 at Apple Studios. Ashton and Lord fancied trying a single, a song called ‘We're Gonna Make It’. They had such fun that it was decided to plan a whole album. Further sessions took place in 1972 and 1973, with Ashton and Lord wanting to
create the feel of a big band in the studio. Rather than do overdubs, they had up to 15 musicians working together at any one time, often with two drummers.

Despite both musicians having plenty of other commitments (Lord with Deep Purple, Ashton with the final Ashton, Gardner & Dyke album and then a hectic tour with Family), the album was largely finished by 1973 but delayed until 1974 to avoid confusing the market during the line-up changes in Deep Purple. Musically the album cleverly mixes elements of rock, swing and big band, and is fascinating as a forerunner to the much admired Paice Ashton Lord album which followed three years later, in that it uses big brass sections and mixes both Hammond and piano from the two main protagonists.

When the album finally emerged ("We wanted to call it 'Last Of The Big Bands, but felt that was tempting fate!"), it was decided not to credit any of the session musicians to avoid any possible contractural problems. Despite this, we now know that it featured Roy Dyke, Terry Cox, Gerry Conway
on drums, with Caleb Quaye, Mick Grabham, Mick Liber, Jim Sullivan on guitar. Also named are Peter Frampton, Ron Wood, B.J. Cole, Howie Casey, Dave Caswell and Cozy Powell. Ian Paice appears on one track.

For this reissue, the CD has been mastered from the original quarter inch production tape. Bonus material has been sourced from the 2" masters. A non-album track ‘Sloeback’ has also been restored to the album. Jon Lord has a number of shows booked for this year, ranging from a rerun of the famous Concerto For Group & Orchestra on one hand, to an r'n'b showcase with his old mates at a blues festival in Germany.

TRACKLIST:

01 We're Gonna Make It
02 Downside Upside Down
03 Band Of The Salvation Army Band
04 Silly Boy
05 Surrender Me
06 Celebration
07 I Been Lonely
08 Shut Up
09 Ballad Of Mr. Giver

10 Sloeback (non-album single) - bonus track
11 Downside Upside Down (alternative vers.) - bonus track