Deep Purple - Live at Montreux 2006 (2007)
Deep Purple – Live at Montreux 2006 (2007)
A final triumph with Jon Lord
Released in 2007, Live at Montreux 2006 captures Deep Purple at a late-career creative peak, performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival on July 15, 2006. More than just another live album, this release has taken on enormous emotional weight over time — it documents Jon Lord’s final appearance with Deep Purple at Montreux, just a few years before his passing in 2012.
By this point, Deep Purple were no longer fighting for relevance. Instead, they sounded relaxed, confident, and deeply musical, a veteran band playing for love of the craft rather than survival.
🎧 Mini Album Review
Live at Montreux 2006 is warm, powerful, and beautifully balanced.
The band play with clarity and restraint, allowing songs to breathe rather than overpowering them. Steve Morse’s melodic intelligence blends seamlessly with Jon Lord’s majestic Hammond organ, while Ian Gillan delivers one of his most controlled and expressive late-era performances.
The sound quality is excellent — clear, spacious, and respectful of the venue’s acoustics.
Verdict:
A late-career live album that feels celebratory, dignified, and emotionally resonant.
🎶 Tracklist
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Pictures of Home
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Things I Never Said
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Strange Kind of Woman
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Rapture of the Deep
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When a Blind Man Cries
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Wrong Man
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Highway Star
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Smoke on the Water
The setlist leans heavily on modern Deep Purple, reinforcing that this was not a nostalgia act, but a living, evolving band.
👥 Personnel – Mark VIII Lineup
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Ian Gillan – Vocals
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Steve Morse – Guitar
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Jon Lord – Hammond organ, keyboards
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Roger Glover – Bass
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Ian Paice – Drums
This lineup would soon change, as Jon Lord retired from touring shortly after this performance.
🎼 Performance Highlights
🔥 Pictures of Home
Energetic and fluid, with Morse expanding the solo sections beyond their original structure.
🌊 Rapture of the Deep
A modern Deep Purple anthem, atmospheric and groove-driven, proving the band’s songwriting still had bite.
🎹 When a Blind Man Cries
An emotional centerpiece, elevated by Jon Lord’s subtle, almost orchestral organ textures.
🔥 Highway Star
Still fast, still precise — but now played with maturity rather than aggression.
🎹 Jon Lord’s Final Montreux Bow
Jon Lord’s presence looms large over this recording. His playing is measured, lyrical, and authoritative, suggesting an artist at peace with his legacy. Unlike the fiery duels of earlier decades, Lord now focuses on texture, dynamics, and emotional weight.
In hindsight, this performance feels like a quiet farewell, even if no one knew it at the time.
📊 Release & Reception
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Part of Deep Purple’s official Montreux archive series
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Widely praised for sound quality and performance cohesion
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Appreciated by fans of the modern Deep Purple era
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Often cited as one of the band’s best late-period live recordings
While not a chart contender, the album strengthened Deep Purple’s reputation as a band that aged with grace and purpose.
🎸 Fun Facts & Trivia
🎹 Jon Lord’s last Montreux appearance
This was Lord’s final performance with Deep Purple at the festival.
🎸 Steve Morse’s evolution
By 2006, Morse had completely redefined how Deep Purple classics were played live.
🎤 Gillan’s control
Gillan avoids high screams, relying instead on phrasing and character.
📀 DVD editions
Some versions included video footage, further enhancing the album’s archival value.
🤔 Did You Know?
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Jon Lord retired from touring in 2009, citing health and personal reasons.
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Rapture of the Deep material became a live staple during the mid-2000s.
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Deep Purple have played Montreux more times than almost any other major rock band.
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Ian Paice remains the only continuous member throughout Deep Purple’s history.
🎼 Album Credits
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Recorded: July 15, 2006
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Venue: Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland
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Released: 2007
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Label: Eagle Records / EMI
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Producer: Roger Glover
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Format: CD, DVD, digital
🧠 Legacy & Final Thoughts
Live at Montreux 2006 is not about fireworks — it’s about endurance, elegance, and connection.
It shows Deep Purple as elder statesmen of hard rock, still capable of emotional depth and musical authority. Most importantly, it preserves Jon Lord’s final Montreux performance, turning the album into a treasured historical document.
For fans following the band’s long journey, this release feels less like a chapter and more like a graceful full stop.
