{"id":8326,"date":"2017-02-04T00:07:42","date_gmt":"2017-02-04T00:07:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hippy.com\/hip\/?p=8326"},"modified":"2017-02-04T00:07:42","modified_gmt":"2017-02-04T00:07:42","slug":"focus-dutch-dynamics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hipplanet.com\/hip\/reviews\/focus-dutch-dynamics\/","title":{"rendered":"Focus – Dutch Dynamics"},"content":{"rendered":"
The music media of the UK received a riveting reminder of their short sightedness when English guitar fans turned their sights away from Clapton<\/strong> and Beck <\/strong>and focussed on the virtuosi Jan Akkerman<\/strong>. Jan\u2019s early days were honed in Johnny & the Cellar Rockers<\/strong> during the guitar instrumental era of 1962. Even at the promiscuous age of twelve Jan\u2019s classical leanings were pulsing which gave rise to \u201cMelody In F Rock\u201d and film theme \u201cExodus\u201d. Jan\u2019s influences came from Tal Farlow,<\/strong> West Montgomery<\/strong> and Django Reinhardt<\/strong>. The prime core of Johnny & the Cellar Rockers<\/strong> was bassist Frank Noyas<\/strong> who introduced Jan to some of the more reputable jazz men on the scene.The Cellar Rockers<\/strong> were pretty active on the scene with regular excursions into Germany and a memorable outside broadcast with the newly arrived off – shore \u2018Radio Veronica\u2019. With the rise of blues \/ soul Jan and Sidney left to join up with bassist Ron Bijtelaar<\/strong> and guitarist Paul Hubert<\/strong> as the Hunters<\/strong> in 1965 who could hold up any R&B standard-. \u201cKnock On Wood\u201d, \u201cHold On I\u2019m Coming\u201d, plus a variety of instrumentals. At this stage Jan was slicing a Gibson Explorer which would eventually give way to a Gretsch White Falcon, Cordovox Leslie & self made amp that later ignited Focus at the Rainbow<\/em>.The Hunters<\/strong> finally smashed the iron curtain in 1966 with the dervish guitar instrumental \u201cThe Russian Spy And I\u201d \/ \u201cSpring\u201d that turbot charged Talent For Sale<\/em>. After passing through The Friendships<\/strong> and Shakin\u2019 Hearts<\/strong>, Jan formed the 1968 six-piece Brainbox <\/strong>featuring ex Mystics <\/strong>drummer Pierre Van Der Linden<\/strong>, ex Full House<\/strong> drummer Frans Smit., ex Screamers \/Truth<\/strong> Kazimierz Lux vox,\u00a0 future Minisink House \/ Twelve O\u2019 Clock<\/strong> bassist Andr\u00e9 Reynen, while guitars -ex Rob Hoeke<\/strong> John Schuursma & ex Dragonfly<\/strong> Rudy Dequeljoe.<\/p>\n

Formidable renditions of Gerschwin<\/strong>\u2019s \u201cSummertime\u201d, Martin Carthy\u2019s<\/strong>\u201c Scarborough Fair\u201d and Tim Hardin\u2019s<\/strong> \u201cReason to Believe\u201d were recorded. Akkerman\u2019s<\/strong> songwriting skills were clearly evident on \u201cAmsterdam, The First Days\u201d while Kaz Lux\u2019s<\/strong> octave engulfed \u201cDown Man\u201d and \u201cGood Morning\u201d. The 1970 cast of Brainbox <\/strong>had ex Rob Hoeke<\/strong> guitarist Schuursma ,ex Dragonfly<\/strong> guitarist Rudy de Queljoe and ex Big Wheel<\/strong> \/ September<\/strong> (later Cargo<\/strong>) Drummer Shel van Dijk<\/strong>, ex Amsterdam <\/strong>bassist Robert Verwey<\/strong> and ex Temple<\/strong> guitarist Ron Meyes<\/strong>.<\/div>\n

‘Focus and Deliberation’
\n<\/strong><\/div>\n
One of Jan\u2019s ardent admirers was the classically trained keyboardist \/ flutist Thijs van Leer<\/strong> from The Shaffy Cabaret Group<\/strong>. The next manifestation took place in the icy winter of 69 when Thys put together a trio with drummer Hans Cleuver & bassist Martijn Dresden<\/strong> as The Thys Van Leer Trio<\/strong> who were earning guilder as session musicians.Thanks to jazz pianist Pim Jacobs<\/strong> and a lot of PR from Dutch celebrity Willem Duys<\/strong>, Thys was awarded a bursary from the ‘Amsterdam Conservatoire’. The trio already known as Focus <\/strong>– taken from the Sufi phrase \u2018To Focus Upon \u2018now received the dubious appointment of Jan Akkerman<\/strong> who had recently been given the marching orders from Brainbox<\/strong>. The final conglomeration was a debut gig as a pit band for the Dutch production of ‘Hair’. The group signed to \u2018Bovema\u2019 and released their debut as In and Out of Focus<\/em>, in Holland as Focus Plays Focus<\/em> until a litho dot cover reissue.The first official song to flow from Focus <\/strong>coffers was the lengthy instrumental \u201cFocus 1\u201d, partly stolen from Schubert<\/strong>. The debut shimmered with jazz leanings as in the acid tripping \u201cHappy Nightmare\u201d, an eerie insight into the mescaline textures. The bass thumping \u201cAnonymous\u201d would re-appear on Focus 111<\/em>. (The rock tempo arrangement borrowed from a medieval theme entitled \u201cDit Le Bourgoigne\u201d heard when Thys was 5 years of age?) \u201cAnonymous\u201d was really a show of musicianship with bassist Dresden<\/strong> coming out tops over the sporadic atom drumrolls of Hans Cleuver.<\/strong><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The debut\u2019s \u201cBlack Beauty\u201d and Castro ripping \u201cSugar Island Cuba\u201d were far from commercial. Thys\u2019s early classical leanings are strongly reflected in the entirety of the album with no extended complexities. The first\u00a0 to glide from Out of Focus<\/em> was the flute shuffling \u201cHouse Of The King\u201d which \u2018Blue Horizon\u2019 released in the UK. (English convinced it was Jethro Tull<\/strong>) Thys had this uncanny ability to take you into the courts of the ‘House of Orange’, spin you with a Dervish jig and then caste you into the melting pot of jazz. (\u201cHouse Of The King\u201d pick of the week -\u2018Radio Veronica\u2019) Jan wrote \u201cHouse Of The King\u201d after a disappointing Spanish gig spurred on by his love for an air hostess. It was also a reactionary assault on the Majorca talent concert where the judges told Jan to shorten his 14 min \u201cConcerto Aranjuez\u201d, Jan trashed the dressing room while Thys led a procession protest in Pied Piper fashion through the Concert Hall. \u201cHouse Of The King\u201d resurfaced on Akkerman\u2019s<\/strong> 1973 Tabernakel <\/em>supported by bassist Tim Bogert<\/strong> & drummer Carmine Appice -Vanilla Fudge<\/strong>. Tabernakel<\/em> set the course for Jan\u2019s acoustic embrace (lute). \u2018Sire Records\u2019 signed up Focus primarily on their live ability.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Oct 1971 the world discovered the dynamics of Akkerman & Van Leer<\/strong> with the release of their conceptual Moving Waves<\/em>. Ex Tee Set Pierre Van Der Linden<\/strong> & Cyril Havermans<\/strong> drove drums and bass respectively.Holland received it as Focus 11 that opened with the 6 min power driving \u201cHocus Pocus\u201d complete with scat yodel, lead and flute solo, a style unheard of in the UK.The \u201cHocus Pocus\u201d riff had churned out the same charismata as Zeppelin<\/strong>\u2019s \u201cWhole Lotta Love\u201d or Purple<\/strong>\u2019s \u201cSmoke On The Water\u201d. The second side of Moving Waves improvised with the 23-min Prog epic \u201cEruption\u201d, inspired by Bela Bartok\u2019s<\/strong> ‘Concerto For Orchestra’. Jan featured on most of the bass parts and two exquisite acoustic instrumentals \u201cJanis\u201d and\u00a0the mellotron shifting\u00a0\u201cLe Clochard\u201d. Cyril\u2019s contribution was songwriting and scat classical vox. Later a shortened \u201cHocus Pocus\u201d charted UK #20. Moving Waves<\/em> also conceived the guitar reverberating \u201cTommy\u201d, a riveting instrumental signature tune later covered by the Dutch Solution.<\/strong> In 1972 a more mature single release of \u201cTommy\u201d and the quasi Bond – \u201cFocus II\u201d displayed the instrumental finesse of Akkerman<\/strong>. Van der\u00a0Linden<\/strong> was an incredible drummer who could slither with jazz snares and then the next instance pound through rock rhythms, an ability thoroughly applied to \u201cFocus 11\u201d. \u2018Melody Maker\u2019 voted the group \u2018Brightest Hope\u2019 \/ NME gave them \u2018Best New Talent.\u2019 The real reason for their break into the UK was a pre-recorded transmission of their gripping performance on \u2018The Old Grey Whistle Test\u2019 just ( \u201cHocus Pocus\u201d) where Jack Bruce<\/strong> joined the group on stage. By Sept 1973 Moving Waves<\/em> and the \u201cHocus\u201d single had each sold a million and my little shop in South Africa can account for 140.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n
The summer of 1972 saw the release of Focus III<\/em> now featuring the reverbing bass of ex Full House Bert Ruiter<\/strong>, a man who could thunder more heavily than a KLM Airbus.The flute furnaced Thys strongly aided by Jan\u2019s fretwork eventually switches to organ allowing Bert to thunder like Zeus. Bert\u2019s bass runs are horrendously expounded on \u201cAnswers? Questions! Questions? Answers!\u201c where Akkerman<\/strong> reaches into a lengthy blitz with radiant harmonics and startling hesitations that only thicken the intensity. The 27min tour de force\u00a0 \u201cAnonymous 11\u201d,every member charging up heavily. The album also spearheaded the guitar shaping \u201cSylvia\u201d backed up by a re-release of \u201cHouse Of The King\u201d (B-side).\u201cSylvia\u201d (singer in Ramses Schaffy\u2019s<\/strong> cabaret group) (lyrics-Linda Van Dyke) Focus III personified Van Leer\u2019s<\/strong> majestic Bach <\/strong>flavoured \u201cLove Remembered\u201d and Akkerman<\/strong>\u2019s lute medieval \u201cElspeth of Nottingham\u201d. Although individuals were starting to collide, Focus<\/strong> shimmered at the \u2018Rainbow Theatre\u2019 in Finsbury Park. Live at the Rainbow proved to the English that Moving Waves<\/em> could be done live, playing\u00a0 the entire \u201cEruption\u201d plus \u201cAnswers? Questions! Questions? Answers!\u201d The spellbound audience were dazzled by the riveting solos that Akkerman<\/strong> applied with relative ease which also magnified the distinctive jazz drumming of Pierre Van Der Linden<\/strong>, later replaced by ex-Stone the Crows Colin Allen<\/strong> for their ensuing 1974 Hamburger Concerto<\/em>.<\/p>\n

On the strength of \u201cHocus Pocus\u201d Chick Corea<\/strong> contacted Thys on the lookout for a support group. Focus<\/strong> were called to do a US tour, followed by the neo classical rock format of Hamburger Concerto<\/em>, strongly influenced by Joe Walsh<\/strong>. Even though the album lacked the improvised jazz strains of former, it was their most actualized creation wrenched between the guitar scrambling \u201cHarem Scarem\u201d and ethereal \u201cLa Cathedrale De Strasbourg\u201d, inspired by camping around the Strasbourg Cathedral. Akkerman<\/strong>\u2019s major contribution was the breathtaking \u201cBirth\u201d simmering with harpsicord motif. Focus<\/strong> also recorded sessions for the \u2018BBC Radio I \u2018program \u2018Sequence\u2019 30th Jan 1973. (Two years later Jan re-appeared with his Focus worn ebony Les Paul to promote the Hendrix<\/strong> assaulting Profile<\/em>. The Focus<\/strong> swansong Mother Focus<\/em> with Colin Allen & David Kemper<\/strong> and ex Brainbox <\/strong>bassist Bert Ruiter<\/strong> slammed optimistically through the retarded \u201cI Need A Bathroom\u201d. Akkerman\u2019<\/strong>s\u00a0 lute addiction would allow for ex-Jean Luc Ponty\/ Pork Pie<\/strong> guitarist Philip Catherine<\/strong> & ex Fringe <\/strong>drummer Steve Smith<\/strong> to fill the gaps, later to make it big with Foreigner.<\/strong><\/p>\n

By 1977 hindsight tension caused Thys to put out Focus Con Proby<\/em>, exalted by a mighty vox\u00a0 lathering by P.J Proby<\/strong>\u00a0 on the spattering \u201cWingless\u201d. The Con Proby<\/em> highlight was an uncanny dip into flower philosophy on Thys\u2019 & Rosalie\u2019s\u00a0 pensive \u201cBrother\u201d borrowed from\u00a0 Brahms\u2019<\/strong> String Sextet Op. 18 First Movement, also for \u201cTokyo Rose\u201d. Highlights include the flute fiery \u201cSneezing Bull\u201d with Thys on a Spanish bullrun and Catherine<\/strong>\u2019s Gibson galactic drone on the cosmic instrumental \u201cOrion\u201d, in contrast to his dizzy spells on \u201cNight Flight\u201d, a return to the Mahavishnu<\/strong> flight.\u00a0 Focus <\/strong>will long be remembered for instrumentals \u201cJanis\u201d, \u201cTommy\u201d, \u201cFocus III\u201d and 9-min \u201cFocus\u201d while Jan remains one of the few guitarists to execute the riffs for the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar<\/em>. The bottled-up PJ Proby<\/strong> would depart from the music scene with the deplorable Three Week Hero,<\/em> backed by Tornados<\/strong> drummer Clem Cattini, Alan Parker<\/strong> (guitar) & entire future Zeppelin<\/strong>. The rolling \u201cIt\u2019s So Hard To Be A Nigger\u201d \/ \u201cJim\u2019s Blues – George Wallace Is Rollin\u2019 In This Mornin\u2019\u201d -(unofficial Zeppelin <\/strong>debut) Sadly Focus Con Proby<\/em> was compared too closely to Focus <\/strong>who legally ended in 1979 with Thys releasing a number of fine Bach<\/strong> albums, Introspection 1, 2 & 3.<\/em><\/p>\n

Jan\u2019s retiring live set marketed on the internet as Live At The Priory<\/em> remains his most actualised projection. During the enduring eighties Jan contributed to Ray Fenwick\u2019s<\/strong> Forcefield 11<\/em> alongside Big Bertha<\/strong> drummer Cozy Powell<\/strong>. Ex Syndicats \/ Tee Set<\/strong> Ray Fenwick<\/strong> was a member of Spencer Davis<\/strong> when they supported Focus <\/strong>on their 1974 US tour. Fenwick <\/strong>now returned to the Set <\/strong>boiling as the Prog After Tea,<\/strong> while Akkerman <\/strong>provided gaps for the sultry Cats<\/strong> and Solution\u2019<\/strong>s It\u2019s Only Just Begun.<\/em> Akkerman <\/strong>was clearly balancing between the medieval spirit of his forefathers and the swivelling bridges erected by Miles Davis<\/strong>. Jan\u2019s solace Tabernakel<\/em> relished in Dowland\u2019<\/strong>s \u201cBrittannia\u201d & \u201cThe Earl Of Derby\u201d, further excelling in Galliard\u2019s and a Pavan by Thomas Morley<\/strong>. Uncharacteristically ex King Curtis<\/strong> drummer Ray Lucas<\/strong> brushed skins during the lute applications. Jan reaches epitaph on \u201cA Fantasy\u201d by Laurencini Of Rome before scathing the depths of Mordor on his 14min \u201cLammy\u201d (name of wife), backed by George Flynn\u2019s<\/strong> harpsichord, Waitzman\u2019s<\/strong> flute and piledriving bass. \u201cLammy\u201d plays like an aural tragedy with lavish string\/ Sitar arrangements. Jan\u2019s electric guitar spat out some of the most jugular solos todate. (\u201cLammy\u201d- mini epic)<\/p>\n

The A -side included a speedy version of \u201cHouse Of The King\u201d, scintillating in guitar tuned sitar. Jan & Anthonie Holborne<\/strong> composed the concise \u201cI Am – Asleep, Half Asleep, Awake – Amen\u201d, while the highlight was definitively the mini concerto for guitar & orchestra -\u201cJaveh\u201d, ably constructed by Flynn. Jan again touched dimensions with the ghostly apparitions of \u201cEli\u201d ejaculating sporadically with his 12- string black Framus that shivered around the staggering vox of ex Brainbox Kaz Lux<\/strong>. Ex Trace Van Der Linden<\/strong> renders exeptional dexterity to Jan\u2019s complex jazz signatures on the string arrangement \u201cWings Of Strings\u201d comprising ex Hunter Richard DeBois<\/strong> drums, ex Pork Pie Jasper Van \u2018tHof<\/strong> keys & Warwick Reading<\/strong> bass. Jan also glides into a raging version of \u201cAngel Wings\u201d and the squelching \u201cTranquilizer\u201d while the ultimate Eli seduction trembles through the provocative \u201cNaked Actress\u201d, a sci-fi jazz washing between Kaz\u2019 emotive vox and Jan\u2019s blitz breaks.The\u00a0 projectiles of \u201cGuardian Angel\u201d rupture like mercury bullets.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Added:<\/b> February 15th 2011
\nReviewer:<\/b> shiloh noone<\/a> | See all reviews<\/a> by shiloh noone
\nCategory:<\/b> Music<\/a>
\nScore:<\/b> \"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"\"
\nRelated Link:<\/b> Seekers Guide To The Rhythm Of Yesteryear<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The music media of the UK received a riveting reminder of their short sightedness when English guitar fans turned their sights away from Clapton and Beck and focussed on the virtuosi Jan Akkerman. Jan\u2019s early days were honed in Johnny & the Cellar Rockers during the guitar instrumental era of 1962. Even at the promiscuous […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8326","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hipplanet.com\/hip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8326","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hipplanet.com\/hip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hipplanet.com\/hip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hipplanet.com\/hip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hipplanet.com\/hip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8326"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.hipplanet.com\/hip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8326\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hipplanet.com\/hip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hipplanet.com\/hip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hipplanet.com\/hip\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}