Looking at the music of Dutch rock band Focus, started in the late sixties by Thijs van Leer (b /31/03/48) with Jan Akkerman (b 24/12/46). Van Leer still performs and records under the name today (official site here). Akkerman's site here.

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Showing posts with label 2021. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2021. Show all posts

20240229

Track by track 200 Focus 12 (Introspective Duet Between Menno & Me - A Well-Deserved Pause For Pierre & Udo!)

Archive number: 200
Title: Focus 12
Main Album: Focus 50 Completely Focussed Disc
Track number: 12
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands
Length: 4:13
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Piano; Menno Gootjes – Guitars
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: June 2021
Alternative recording: None
Notes: This new track is again performed in a minimalist style with only two instrumentalists

Track by track 199 Focus 11 (Another wordless song)

Archive number: 186
Title: Focus 11 (Another wordless song)
Main Album: Focus 50 Completely Focussed Disc
Track number: 11
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands
Length: 3:34
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, piano, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: June 2021
Alternative recording: Focus 11
Notes: This is a pretty much live re-recording of the original Focus number with full band but with some changes of instrumentation.

Track by track 198 Focus 10 (Sophisticated)

Archive number: 185
Title: Focus 10 (Sophisticated)
Main Album: Focus 50 Completely Focussed Disc
Track number: 10
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands
Length: 3:15
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, piano, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: June 2021
Alternative recording: Focus X
Notes: This swinging jazz number is shorter than the original but similar otherwise.

Track by track 197 Focus 9 (Classic Dream)

Archive number: 184
Title: Focus 9 (Classic Dream)
Main Album: Focus 50 Completely Focussed Disc
Track number: 9
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands
Length: 4:25
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Piano; Menno Gootjes – Guitars
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: June 2021
Alternative recording: Focus 9/New Skin
Notes: This minimalisitc version of the track drops the bass and drums and the flute.

Track by track 196 Focus 8 (Rondo)

Archive number: 183
Title: Focus 8 (Rondo)
Main Album: Focus 50 Completely Focussed Disc
Track number: 8
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands
Length: 5:50
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, piano; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: June 2021
Alternative recording: Focus 8
Notes: A much improved version of the track, chiefly due to the drums of Pierre van der Linden, which start the track off and close it.
Rondo The rondo is a musical form that contains a principal theme (sometimes called the "refrain") which alternates with one or more contrasting themes, generally called "episodes", but also occasionally referred to as "digressions" or "couplets". Some possible patterns include: ABACA, ABACAB, ABACBA, or ABACABA.
The rondo form emerged in the Baroque period and became increasingly popular during the Classical period. The earliest examples of compositions employing rondo form are found within Italian opera arias and choruses of the first years of the 17th century. These examples use a multi-couplet rondo or chain rondo (ABACAD) known as the Italian rondo.

Track by track 195 Focus 7 (Inner Joy)

Archive number: 182
Title: Focus 7 (Inner Joy)
Main Album: Focus 50 Completely Focussed Disc
Track number: 7
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands
Length: 5:18
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release:  June 2021
Alternative recording: Focus 9 and the live albums Focus Live in America and Live at Trading Boundaries (van Leer solo)
Notes: This is a pretty much live re-recording of the original Focus number with full band. Some nice violined guitar at the close.

Track by track 194 Focus 6 (Thinking and Drinking)

Archive number: 194
Title: Focus 6 (Thinking and Drinking)
Main Album: Focus 50 Completely Focussed Disc
Track number: 6
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands
Length: 3:40
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release:  June 2021
Alternative recording: None
Notes: This rare track often threatens tot turn into one of the other tracks in the series but is ts own beast.

Track by track 193 Focus 5 (Impressionistic ...)

Archive number: 180
Title: Focus 5 (Impressionistic ...)
Main Album: Focus 50 Completely Focussed Disc
Track number: 5
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands
Length: 3:54
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: June 2021
Alternative recording: Ship of Memories
Notes: This is a pretty much live re-recording of the original Focus number with full band. No flute this time.

Track by track 192 Focus 4 (Rock Ballad)

Archive number: 179
Title: Focus 4 (Rock Ballad)
Main Album: Focus 50 Completely Focussed Disc
Track number: 4
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands
Length: 4:30
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Piano, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: June 2021
Alternative recording: Mother Focus
Notes: This is a pretty much live re-recording of the original Focus number with full band but no Hammond organ or synthesiser.

20240227

Track by track 191 Focus 3 (Song without words)

Archive number: 178
Title: Focus 3 (Song without words)
Main Album: Focus 50 Completely Focussed Disc
Track number: 3
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands
Length: 3:42
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: June 2021
Alternative recording: It was first on the third album. Van Leer and Akkerman have nice versions on solo albums.
Notes: This is a pretty much live re-recording of the original with full band.

Track by track 190 Focus 2 (Mini-opera)

Archive number: 177
Title: Focus 2 (Mini-opera)
Main Album: Focus 50 Completely Focussed Disc?
Track number: 2
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands
Length: 4:39
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: June 2021
Alternative recording: It was first on the second album. Van Leer and Akkerman have nice versions on solo albums.
Notes: This is a pretty much live re-recording of the original with full band. Some nice double tracked flute early on.

Track by track 189 Focus 1 (Statement)

Archive number: 176
Title: Focus 1 (Statement)
Main Album: Focus 50 Completely Focussed Disc
Track number: 1
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands
Length: 3:34
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: June 2021
Alternative recording: In and Out of Focus, Golden Oldies, etc
Notes: This is a pretty much live re-recording of the original Focus number with full band. There is no vocal.

20240226

Track by Track 176--188 Focus Live in Rio

Archive number: 176-188
Titles disc 1: Focus 1, House of the King, Eruption, Sylvia, Song for Eva, All hens on deck,
Titles disc 2: Le Tango, P's March, Focus 5, Harem Scarem, Hocus Pocus, Focus 3, Answers? Questions! Questions? Answers!
Main Album: Focus 50 Live Rio (Two disc audio and single disc Blu Ray)
Track numbers: 1-12
Genre: Live Progressive Rock Instrumentals
Venue: Teatro Municipal João Caetano, Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro Brazil
Length: c 01.59.27
Composers: Thijs van Leer, Jan Akkerman, 
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, melodica, flute, vocals, whistling; Menno Gootjes– Guitars; Udo Pannekeet - Bass; Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Producer: Geert Scheijgrond
Engineer: Geert Scheijgrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Records
Date of recording/release: September 14 2017.June 2021
Alternative version: These tracks are found on various Focus albums
Notes: This is a fairly complete recording with at least some of the verbal introduction to songs included