Track by track 98 Rock and Rio

Archive number: 98

Title: Rock and Rio

Main Album: Focus 8

Track number: 1

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Peptide Studio, Vuren

Length: 3' 24”

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, pizzicato synthesiser, voice; Jan Dumee – Guitar; Bobby Jacobs - Bass; Bert Smaak - Drums

Producer: Geert Scheijgrond & Focus

Engineer: Geert Scheijgrond & Dick Kemper

Label: Musea/Red Bullet

Date of recording/release: A limited run of 500 of the album appeared in August 2002 to be followed by a general release on CD later that year. Also later on Paras and JVC Victor

Alternative version: None

Notes: The track begins with a clicking voice from van Leer soon joined by drums then a distinctive bassy groove with Hammond organ (00:00-00:14). This bassy groove hook alternates with van Leer leading in a yodelling voice (backed by a pizzicato synthesiser early on) and the band (00:15-00:24; 00:25-00:34; 00:35-00:45). At 00:46 Dumee takes up the lead, this part punctuated by staccato beats from the band at 00:56-58 and 01:01-02. Then it's back to the bass groove (01:04-01:13) followed by the yodelling again (01:14-01:23). Dumee leads once more (01:24-00:33) with the staccato punchline (01:34-01:36) and a little improvisation until 01:45 and a new guitar led rising section (to 01:54) followed by a fresh allegro part that includes a Russian like halt at 02:08. At 02:10 we return to the guitar-led style with the punctuation more to the background this time (02:21,22 and 02:26, 02:27). At 02:31 we go back to alternating the distinctive bassy groove and yodelling sections (02:31-02:40; 02:41-51; 02:52-03:06; 03:07-03:11; 03:12-03:24)