Pushed To The Edge. Don Airey

Don Airey joined Deep Purple after the late Jon Lord retired from the band in the early 00. That makes him a member fro nearly a quarter of a century. Of all the members he's the most granddad looking of the bunch. Standing behind a battery of keyboards he produces the classical side of Deep Purple as introduced by Jon Lord. Including fast paced Hammond B3 solos, at a speed as if there's no tomorrow.

Airey has had a long career, that professionally started as a member of Cozy Powell's Hammer and then Colosseum II and Rainbow. Followed by a long list of sessions and bands, until 2002 when he joined Deep Purple.

At 76 he releases another solo album, his seventh plus four live albums. If anything, Pushed To The Edge is a classic rock album, containing everything such an album should. It's almost more Deep Purple than Deep Purple itself. Having surrounded himself with a great team, this album rocks. With drummer Jon Finnigan and bassist Dave Marks.the bottom of the record is extremely solid. The latest Deep Purple member, guitarist Simon McBride, takes on all guitar duties and the two vocalists do the rest. Both Carl Sentance (Nazareth) and Mitchell Emms, who became know because of The Voice UK, have the voice to carry songs like these. If ever Ian Gillan retires with recruiting Emms the band can last into the third quarter of this century. Seeing the average age of four of the five band members retirement or worse is not too far off.

With Pushed To The Edge Don Airey has recorded an extremely potent album, where the energy simply oozes out of. The music rocks and Airey is not afraid to bring in some elements from eastern and classical music. And of course there's a ballad, which is o.k. for the balance of the album. When the band starst rocking again I'm the happier because of it.

I had not expected to write on a Don Airey solo record, but here we are. Again an ageing artist shows that age is not an impediment for writing and recording an inspired and good record. Pushed To The Edge? No, Don Airey is in extremely comfortable circumstances on his latest record.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght