David Axelrod's Rock Interpretation of Handel's Messiah (commonly known as Rock Messiah) is a 1971 album by David Axelrod. It is a rock-based interpretation of George Frideric Handel's oratorio Messiah.
The album features arrangements by Axelrod played by a 38-piece orchestra conducted by Julian "Cannonball" Adderley. Los Angeles Times writer Martin Bernheimer described the album as "relatively straight and square, as much concerned with Handel and jazz and the gospel tradition as it is with blatant rock". Axelrod described his motivation for the album as "making Handel more accessible".
Ebony writer Phyl Garland described the album as "Jesus Christ Superstar on a bad trip", also stating "The whole thing just seems so unnecessary."
It was originally released in 1971 on U.S. RCA label issue nine-track on a standard vinyl LP (RCA LSP-4636). It was reissued on CD in 2012 on the U.S. Real Gone label (RGM-0041).
Read more about Rock Messiah: Track Listing
Famous quotes containing the words rock and/or messiah:
“You have constantly urged the idea that you were persecuted because you did not come from West-Point, and you repeat it in these letters. This, my dear general, is I fear, the rock on which you have split.”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)
“Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.”
—Bible: New Testament, Matthew 1:18,19.