Night inspired by Renaissance

For 10 years, Candice Night and former Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore have made music together as Blackmore's Night.

Unlike the straight-forward, blues-based rock of the guitarist's past, the music they play lies in the area of baroque-inspired, classically highlighted minstrel music. The style stems from the two artists' love for the Renaissance era.

Blackmore's Night recently released a new live CD/DVD, "Paris Moon," which features the group's best-loved songs, gleaned from a concert in the famous Olympia theatre. "There were a lot of great musicians who have played that place," Night said by phone from the couple's home in Long Island, N.Y. "I felt a little intimidated. We didn't know if the audience would like us or what they would be expecting. We didn't know if they would like us or throw rotten tomatoes at us. But as soon as we stepped on stage, it was a celebration."

"Paris Moon" is a little different than the couple's last DVD release "Castles & Dreams," which was released in 2005. "We recorded Castles & Dreams" at an old castle in Germany," said Night. "It was a DVD that we did of the concert, but also of the Renaissance fair that the promoters set up during our stay. It was wonderful.

"With 'Paris Moon,' we wanted to do something a little different. We have a limited-edition package with both the DVD and the CD in a little antique-book package. But we also sell the DVD and CD separately."

The songs on the "Paris Moon" CD include "Minstrel Hall," "The Clock Ticks On" and the crowd favorite "Under a Violet Moon," to name a few. The DVD features all those songs, plus "Renaissance Faire" and a reworking of Deep Purple's "Soldier of Fortune." "I love rock music, I am familiar with Deep Purple and (Blackmore's other band) Rainbow," Night said. "So it's kind of like a game when he throws out some old songs to see if I can sing them. I have had a vast musical background. Mom was into Broadway tunes. Dad was into Benny Goodman. I loved it all, and during my teens did the hair-band and spandex.

"But the singer's influence that has stayed with me from the time I first heard her until now is Stevie Nicks. There was something about her music lyrically and mystically. She sang about 'Sisters of the Moon,' 'Rhiannon' and 'Gypsy.' And she wasn't afraid to stay feminine and magical during the hair band-and-spandex days."