Track by track 158 Santa Teresa

Archive number: 158

Title: Santa Teresa

Main Album: The Focus Family Album

Track number: 14

Genre: Sung Ballad

Studio: Wedgeview Studios(Woerdense Verlaat, Netherlands) Fieldwork Studios (Schoten, Belgium)
Skystudio and Bassbob Studios

Length: 6:00

Composer: van Leer

Musicians: Ivan Lins vocals, Thijs van Leer organ flute, Menno Gootjes guitar, Udo Pannekeet bass, Pierre van der Linden drums

Producer: Geert Scheigrond

Engineer: Geert Scheigrond

Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings

Date of recording/release: 2017

Alternative version:

Notes: A crash of cymbal and a chord in unison from the band begin the track and after about 20 seconds of Hammond dominated introduction, the singer (Ivan Lins) begins with the hymn like words below in Spanish. At 1:50 a flute breaks in and there is a flute led instrumental break. At 2:26 the vocal returns. By the 4 minute mark Vins has risen to something of a tuneful shout an the band takes over again, this time with the electric guitar leading. Then on the five minute marker Vins sings for thfinal time and the song comes to an end.

Lyrics: Santa Teresa Enamorada.

Santa Teresa Enamorada.
Maravillosa
Vas tan de prisa,
Camino a tu amado
Tómanos de la mano, Tómanos de la mano

Virgen del Carmen
Estrella de Chile
Tu hija Teresa
Es nuestra alegría.
Virgen del Carmen
Abre tu manto de gracias, de luces
Tómanos de la mano, Tómanos de la mano

Santa Teresa Enamorada
Santa Teresa Enamorada
Maravillosa
Vas tan de prisa,
Camino a tu amado
Tómanos de la mano, Tómanos de la mano.

Virgen del Carmen.
Estrella de Chile.
Tu hija Teresa
Es nuestra esperanza.
Virgen del Carmen
Abre tu manto de gracias, de luces
Tómanos de la mano. Tómanos de la mano.

Santa Teresa Enamorada
Santa Teresa Enamorada
Maravillosa
Vas tan de prisa Camino a tu amado
Tómanos de la mano. Tómanos de la mano

Translation

St Theresa, beloved, St Theresa, beloved.

Wonderful.

You go so fast

On the way to your beloved.

Take us by the hand, take us by the hand.

Virgin of Carmen, Star of Chile

Your daughter Theresa

It is our joy.

Virgin of Carmen

Open your mantle of graces, of lights

Take us by the hand, take us by the hand.

Virgin of Carmen, Star of Chile

Your daughter Theresa

It is our joy.

Virgin of Carmen

Open your mantle of graces, of lights

Take us by the hand, take us by the hand.

St Theresa, beloved, St Theresa, beloved.

Wonderful.

You go so fast

On the way to your beloved.

Take us by the hand, take us by the hand.

Track by track 157 Spiritual Swung

Archive number: 157
Title: Spiritual Swung
Main Album: The Focus Family Album
Track number: 13
Genre: Drums
Studio: Unknown
Length: 3:02
Composer: Pierre van der Linden
Musicians: Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Marlies Helder
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: 2017
Alternative version: The same track is on Drum Poetry
Notes: This is another drum piece from Pierre van der Linden.

Track by track 156 Birds come fly over

Archive number: 147

Title: Birds Come Fly Over

Main Album: The Focus Family Album

Track number: 11

Genre: Sung Ballad

Studio: Unknown

Length: 5:30

Composer: Thijs van Leer, Rosalie Peters

Musicians: Thijs van Leer piano, organ, melodics, vocals, whistling; Menno Gootjes guitars, Udo Pannekeet bass, Pierre van der Linden drums

Producer: Geert Scheigrond

Engineer: Geert Scheigrond

Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings

Date of recording/release: 2017

Other versions: This is a version of Le Tango, which has appeared in several places

Notes: Before van Leer's singing comes in at 00:53 the atmosphere is built through an instrumental section that begins with drums and acoustic guitar but is then developed with flute, organ and a chugging electric guitar. The lyrics continue through the rest of the song, with instrumental interludes of varying short lengths. The piano is prominent but the melodica is in there and the electric guitar gets a good run just before a quieter section (out of a million overs, etc) where van Leer's whistling is present, 04:02-04:44.

The lyrics
I'm always watching sunrise
I have at least a life
And for my heart's desire I can die

And you my love, my good love
I see you live your life
But in my heart I've often seen you cry

I'm only waiting for the time to pass
How can I raise my voice or my hand
Birds come fly over to the sun

Out of a million lovers
One only could be mine
But there's a million others passing by

From sun up until sundown
This life is such a strife
And if you loose your love you loose your life

I'm only waiting for the time to pass
How can I raise my voice or my hand
Birds come fly over to the sun

Track by track 155 Let us wander

Archive number: 155

Title:  Let us wander

Main Album: The Focus Family Album 

Track number: 11

Genre: Solo instrumental (Flute)

Studio: Unknown 

Length: 2:33

Composer: Thijs van Leer 

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – 1989 Muramatsu Flute 

Producer: Geert Scheigrond 

Engineer: Geert Scheigrond 

Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings 

Date of recording/release: 2017 

Notes:  Thijs apparently wanders near a river playing his flute with aquatic and other background nature sounds.

Track by track 154 Clair-Obscur

Archive number: 154

Title: Clair-Obscur
Main Album: The Focus Family Album
Track number: 10
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: Unknown
Length: 3:12
Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer piano, Menno Gootjes guitar, Udo Pannekeet bass, Pierre van der Linden drums

Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: 2017

Other versions: The track is also on Focus 11

Notes: We begin with the piano and electric guitar weaving a pleasant melody twice over before the snare-led drums and bass come in at 00:43. The tune meanders rather before the original theme reasserts itself and then meanders again. At 2:34-36 there is something of a ritartando on solo piano before the piece abruptly ends shortly after that.

Clair-obscur is the French version of the Italian Chiaroscuro, an art term that simply means light-dark and refers to the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to achieve a sense of volume in modelling three-dimensional objects and figures. Similar effects in cinema, and black and white and low-key photography, are also called chiaroscuro.

Further specialised uses of the term include chiaroscuro woodcut for coloured woodcuts printed with different blocks, each using a different coloured ink; and chiaroscuro drawing for drawings on coloured paper in a dark medium with white highlighting.

Chiaroscuro is one of the canonical painting modes of the Renaissance (alongside cangiante, sfumato and unione). Artists known for using the technique include Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Goya.

Track by track 153 Song for Yaminah

Archive number: 153
Title: Song for Yaminah
Main Album: The Focus Family Album
Track number: 9
Genre: Solo instrumental
Studio: Unknown
Length: 1:53
Composer: Udo Pannekeet
Musicians: Udo Pannekeet – five string bass
Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: 2017
Notes: Dedicated to his one true love, this pleasant piece finds the latest Focus bass player exploring his instrument with skill.

Track by track 152 The fifth man

Archive number: 152
Title: The fifth man
Main Album: The Focus Family Album
Track number: 8
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: Mosh Studios, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Length: 4:40
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: April 13 2014/2017

Notes: The track begins with ten seconds of distorted guitar riff before the drums and bass come in and then the Hammond at around 00:33. The whole band rocks with the riff until 01:41 when a new theme is picked out on guitar over the band. At 01:58 it is just guitar again for some seconds before the band kick in again. At 02:21 van Leer's jazzy Hammond takes the lead until at 02:42 the original guitar led riff comes back in, before we have the clear guitar again at 03:06 which then becomes a drum led band finale with improvised blues guitar and reversions to the themes until a sudden stop at the end.

Track by track 151 Raga Reverence 1

Archive number: 151
Title: Raga Reverence 1
Main Album: The Focus Family Album (also on Swung Vol 2)
Track number: 7
Genre: Jam
Studio: Wedgeview Studios
Length: 6:24
Composer: Menno Gootjes, Bobby Jacobs & Pierre van der Linden
Musicians: Menno Gootjes - Guitar; Bobby Jacobs - Bass; Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Producer: Bobby Jacobs

Engineer: Bobby Jacobs?
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: 2017

Notes: This jam begins briefly with cymbals then a bass riff from Bobby with the drums joining in at 00:13 and the guitar playing over it at 00:20 forward. A second guitar appears to be overdubbed most of the way so that the high notes and the more chugging style compliment each other. We have something of a slowing down at 04:50 before the while trails away.

A note on jam session (based on Wikipedia)

This is a relatively informal musical event, process, or activity where musicians, typically instrumentalists, play improvised solos and vamp on tunes, songs and chord progressions. To "jam" is to improvise music without extensive preparation or predefined arrangements, except for when the group is playing well-known jazz standards or covers of existing popular songs. Original jam sessions, also 'free flow sessions', are often used by musicians to develop new material (music) and find suitable arrangements. Both styles can be used simply as a social gathering and communal practice session. Jam sessions may be based upon existing songs or forms, may be loosely based on an agreed chord progression or chart suggested by one participant, or may be wholly improvisational. Jam sessions can range from very loose gatherings of amateurs to evenings where a jam session coordinator or host acts as a "gatekeeper" to ensure that only appropriate-level performers take the stage, to sophisticated improvised recording sessions by professionals which are intended to be broadcast live on radio or TV or edited and released to the public.

Focus / 50 Years: Anthology 1970-1976

 

9CD+2DVD box set

50 Years: Anthology 1970-1976 is a box set that contains the complete work of Focus between 1970 and 1976.

The set is curated by Focus/Jan Akkerman archivist Wouter Bessels whoe previously curated the 26 CD Akkerman box set. It features newly remastered versions of the first five studio albums all of which come with rare bonus tracks (single versions, alternates, rough mixes). Additionally, it includes the 1973 live album At The Rainbow, the Ship of Memories compilation from 1976 (which features 11 bonus tracks), the complete BBC In Concert 1973 gig taken from the original stereo master tapes and a disc of unreleased live performances.

Two DVDs (PAL, region-free) contain over four hours of audiovisual material taken from the archives of various TV stations around the world and include the first official release of the 1973 ‘Focus At The Rainbow’ concert movie, carefully restored from the original 16 mm film.

The box set comes with an inforative 80-page booklet with band history, liner notes and various memorabilia.

Wouter Möller

Classical musician Wouter Möller turns out to be the previously uncredited cello player on the very early track Happy nightmare (mescaline).

New Book on Focus

A new book has recently appeared on Focus in the Seventies. By Stephen Lambe, the book endeavours to guide the reader through the band's early history year by year, up to the end of the seventies. It deals with eight Focus albums song by song and gives the same treatment to Akkerman and van Leer's solo work 1970-1979. It claims to be a potted history of the band and an insight into the tensions which lead to such a creative - if short lived - peak and "an essential guide to the astonishing music the two men made while at the peak of their powers." Like so many books of this sort it labours under the difficulty of being so appallingly proof read (I'm not sure any attempt was actually made beyond using a computer spell check). The album by album analysis is not appealing to the casual reader either. The approach is to have Lambe voice his own opinion about the music, which is fine where you agree but more difficult where you do not. Apparently, Eruption is brilliant but Anonymus not so and the Introspection albums are too much of their time. It's nice to hear opinions I suppose. It's greatest achievement is to have persuaded me to buy the latest Focus Collection, the fifty year anthology. Anyway, if you are a Focus fanatic do buy it. PS Mr Lambe, please please let me proofread a second edition.

Track by track 150 Mosh Blues

Archive number: 150

Title: Mosh Blues

Main Album: The Focus Family Album

Track number: 6

Genre: Prog Rock

Studio: Mosh Studios, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Length: 6:24

Composer: Thijs van Leer, Menno Gootjes, Bobby Jacobs & Pierre van der Linden

Musicians: Thijs van Leer - organ, scat, flute; Menno Gootjes - Guitar; Bobby Jacobs - Bass; Pierre van der Linden - Drums

Producer: Geert Scheijgrond

Engineer: Geert Scheigrond

Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings

Date of recording/release: 2017

Notes: The track begins with a bass and drums led band groove, the Hammond coming in from 00:27. Hammond and lead guitar swap the limelight, the guitar eventually triumphing, At 3:18 van Leer gives us about 48 seconds of scat, 28 seconds of Hammond lead and 47 seconds of breathy flute. The band then playout the rest of the song, which lasts just over a minute until the final chord.

Moshing

The word Mosh refers to the recording studio in sao Paulo, which got its name from the initials of its founders: M alagutti O swaldo S antisteban H élio.

(from Wikipedia) Also known as slam dancing or simply slamming, it is a style of dance in which participants push or slam into each other, typically performed to "aggressive" live music. Moshing usually happens in the centre of the crowd, generally closer to the stage, in an area called the "pit". It is intended to be energetic and full of body contact.

The dance style originated in the hardcore punk scenes of California and Washington, DC around 1980. Through the 1980s it spread to other branches of punk rock as well as thrash metal and grunge, which exposed it to the mainstream. Since then, moshing has occasionally been performed to energetic music within a wide variety of genres, including alternative rock, EDM and hip hop, while remaining a staple at punk and heavy metal shows.

Variations of moshing exist, including "pogoing", "circle pits" and "wall of death". Dancing can be done alone as well as in groups.

While moshing is seen as a form of positive fan feedback or expression of enjoyment. It has also drawn criticism over dangerous excesses occurring in offshoots. Injuries have been reported.

Track by track 149 Two-part intervention

Archive number: 149
Title: Two-part Intervention
Main Album: The Focus Family Album
Track number: 5
Genre: Acoustic guitar
Studio: Unknown

Length: 1:21
Composer: Menno Gootjes
Musicians: Menno Gootjes – Guitar

Producer: Geert Scheijgrond

Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: 2017
Notes: Menno plays his guitar

Track by track (128) 148 Victoria

Archive number: 148
Title: Victoria
Main Album: The Focus Family Album
Track number: 4
Genre: Prog Rock Instrumental
Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium (Mixed at B-Spot Studio; mastered at Tube Mastering)

Length: 5:28

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, piano, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars, Vocals; Bobby Jacobs – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums

Producer: Bobby Jacobs, Geert Scheijgrond

Engineer: Bram Bol/Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: 2012/2017

Alternative recording: This is an edit from the version on Focus X
Notes: See Track by track 128

Track by track 147 Riverdance

Archive number: 147

Title: Riverdance
Main Album: The Focus Family Album

Track number: 3
Genre: Drums
Studio: Unknown
Length: 4:45
Composer: Pierre van der Linden
Musicians: Pierre van der Linden - Drums

Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Marlies Helder
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: 2017

Alternative version: The same track is on Drum Poetry
Notes: This is a drum piece from Pierre van der Linden

Track by track 146 Song for Eva

Archive number: 146
Title: Song for Eva
Main Album: The Focus Family Album

Track number: 2
Genre: Jazz Rock
Studio: Unknown

Length: 9:31
Composer: Thijs van Leer/Lord Byron 

Musicians: Thijs van Leer - Piano, Organ, Voice; Menno Gootjes - Guitars, Udo Pannekeet - Bass, Pierre van der Linden - Drums

Producer: Geert Scheigrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: 2017

Alternative version: Introspection 4
Notes: Eva is Thijs's oldest daughter and he wrote this song for her. It was used as the theme (using the original version) to a 1978 Dutch TV drama called Exit 7.

We begin with piano and Thijs speaks the Byron poem below supported by the band. After about a minute the guitar leads with a repeated slow yearning strain that carries the main theme. This continues until 4:05 when a more jazzy guitar leads another passage, increasingly complex. This eventually blends back into something like the previous theme, which is repeated from 7:17. In the last 50 seconds the whole thing winds down in the manner with which the section began at 4:05 but coming to a close this time.

Words (Lord Byron)

They say that Hope is happiness;

But genuine Love must prize the past,

And Memory wakes the thoughts that bless:

They rose the first - they set the last;

And all that Memory loves the most 

Was once our only Hope to be,

And all that Hope adored and lost

Hath melted into Memory.

Alas! it is delusion all:

The future cheats us from afar,

Nor can we be what we recall,

Nor dare we think on what we are.

Note Lord Byron (from Wikipedia) - George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, FRS (1788–1824), known simply as Lord Byron, was a British peer, who was a poet and politician. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic Movement and is regarded as one of the greatest British poets. He remains widely read and influential. Among his best-known works are the lengthy narrative poems Don Juan and Childe Harold's Pilgrimage; many of his shorter lyrics in Hebrew Melodies also became popular. This poem is from the latter source.

He travelled extensively across Europe, especially in Italy, where he lived for seven years in Venice, Ravenna and Pisa. During his stay in Italy he frequently visited his friend and fellow poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Later in life Byron joined the Greek War of Independence fighting the Ottoman Empire and died of disease leading a campaign during that war, for which the Greeks revere him as a national hero. He was 36 when he contracted the fever that killed him, after the First and Second Siege of Missolonghi.

His only legitimate child, Ada Lovelace, is regarded as a foundational figure in the field of computer programming, based on her notes for Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine. Byron's illegitimate children include Allegra Byron, who died in childhood and, possibly, Elizabeth Medora Leigh.

Track by track 145 Nature is our friend

Archive number: 145

Title: Nature is our Friend 

Main Album: The Focus Family Album 

Track number: 1 

Genre: Solo instrumental 

Studio: Unknown 

Length: 3:14 

Composer: Thijs van Leer 

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – 1989 Muramatsu Flute 

Producer: Geert Scheigrond 

Engineer: Geert Scheigrond 

Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings 

Date of recording/release: 2017 

Notes: Thijs apparently wanders in the woods playing his flute with background nature sounds.

Track by track 144 Brother

Archive number: 144
Title: Brother GO
Main Album: Golden Oldies
Track number: 9
Genre: Progressive Rock Vocal
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Verlaat, The Netherlands
Length: 6:30
Composer: Thijs van Leer/Roselie Peters
Musicians: Thijs van Leer - Hammond organ, vocals, Menno Gootjes - Guitars, Bobby Jacobs - Bass, Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Producer: Bobby Jacobs
Engineer: Budy Mokoginta and Bram Boll
Label: Focus Music Ltd
Date of recording/release: 2014 CD also produced in vinyl format
Notes: Straightforward re-recording with spoken vocal

Track by track 143 Neurotika GO

Archive number: 143
Title: Neurotika GO
Main Album: Golden Oldies
Track number: 8
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Verlaat, The Netherlands
Length: 3:40
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer - Hammond organ, vocals, Menno Gootjes - Guitars, Bobby Jacobs - Bass, Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Producer: Bobby Jacobs
Engineer: Budy Mokoginta and Bram Boll
Label: Focus Music Ltd
Date of recording/release: 2014 CD also produced in vinyl format
Notes: Straightforward re-recording

Track 142 Aya-yuppie-hippie-yee GO

Archive number: 142

Title: Aya-yuppie-hippie-yee GO
Main Album: Golden Oldies
Track number: 7
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Verlaat, The Netherlands
Length: 5:30
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer - Piano, Hammond organ, Flute, vocals, Menno Gootjes - Guitars, Bobby Jacobs - Bass, Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Producer: Bobby Jacobs
Engineer: Budy Mokoginta and Bram Boll
Label: Focus Music Ltd
Date of recording/release: 2014 CD also produced in vinyl format
Notes: Straightforward re-recording bt with some nice new bass, scat and flute parts

Track 141 Focus 3 and 2 GO

Archive number: 141
Title: Focus 3 and 2 GO
Main Album: Golden Oldies
Track number: 6
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Verlaat, The Netherlands
Length: 7:35
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer - Piano, Hammond organ, Menno Gootjes - Guitars, Bobby Jacobs - Bass, Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Producer: Bobby Jacobs
Engineer: Budy Mokoginta and Bram Boll
Label: Focus Music Ltd
Date of recording/release: 2014 CD also produced in vinyl format
Notes: An unusual combination of two Focus tracks

Track by track 140 Sylvia GO

Archive number: 140

Title: Sylvia GO
Main Album: Golden Oldies
Track number: 5
Genre: Progressive rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Verlaat, The Netherlands
Length: 5:29
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer - Piano, Hammond organ, Menno Gootjes - Guitars, Bobby Jacobs - Bass, Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Producer: Bobby Jacobs
Engineer: Budy Mokoginta and Bram Boll
Label: Focus Music Ltd
Date of recording/release: 2014 CD also produced in vinyl format
Notes: Includes the reggae style introduction that has developed in live versions over more recent years

Track by Track 139 Focus 1 GO

Archive number: 138

Title: Focus 1 GO

Main Album: Golden Oldies

Track number: 4

Genre: Progressive rock Instrumental

Studio: WedgeView Studios, Verlaat, The Netherlands

Length: 6:58

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer - Hammond organ, Menno Gootjes - Guitars, Bobby Jacobs - Bass, Pierre van der Linden - Drums

Producer: Bobby Jacobs

Engineer: Budy Mokoginta and Bram Boll

Label: Focus Music Ltd

Date of recording/release: 2014 CD also produced in vinyl format

Notes: A basic instrumental version of the oldest song still regularly in the repertoire. A vocal from van Leer at 2:55-3:20. It also has some Anonymus at the end.

Track by track 138 House of the King GO

Archive number: 138

Title: House of the King GO

Main Album: Golden Oldies

Track number: 3

Genre: Progressive rock Instrumental

Studio: WedgeView Studios, Verlaat, The NetherlandsLength: 6:51

Composer: Jan Akkerman

Musicians: Thijs van Leer - Hammond organ, Menno Gootjes - Guitars, Bobby Jacobs - Bass, Pierre van der Linden - Drums

Producer: Bobby Jacobs

Engineer: Budy Mokoginta and Bram Boll

Label: Focus Music Ltd

Date of recording/release: 2014 CD also produced in vinyl format

Notes: This is a great version of this staple track

Track by track 137 Tommy GO

Archive number: 137

Title: Tommy GO
Main Album: Golden Oldies
Track number: 2
Genre: Progressive rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Verlaat, The NetherlandsLength: 6:51
Composer: Tom Barlage
Musicians: Thijs van Leer - Hammond organ, Menno Gootjes - Guitars, Bobby Jacobs - Bass, Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Producer: Bobby Jacobs
Engineer: Budy Mokoginta and Bram Boll
Label: Focus Music Ltd
Date of recording/release: 2014 CD also produced in vinyl format
Notes: This is a fine version of the track originally embedded in the track Eruption on the second album

Track by track 136 Hocus Pocus GO

Archive number: 136
Title: Hocus Pocus
Main Album: Golden Oldies
Track number: 1
Genre: Progressive rock Instrumental

Studio: WedgeView Studios, Verlaat, The Netherlands

Length: 6:51
Composer: Thijs van Leer Jan Akkerman
Musicians: Thijs van Leer - Hammond organ, Vocals, Flute, Jan Dume - Vocals. Menno Gootjes - Guitars, Bobby Jacobs - Bass, Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Producer: Bobby Jacobs
Engineer:  Budy Mokoginta and Bram Boll
Label: Focus Music Ltd
Date of recording/release: 2014 CD also produced in vinyl format
Notes: This is a good but slightly inferior version of the famous hit

Track by track 135 Crossroads

Archive number: 135
Title: Crossroads

Main Album: Focus X 

Track number: 10

Genre: Jazz Rock with vocal 

Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium 

Length: 5:38

Composer: van Leer, Peters

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Piano, organ, flute, vocal; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Bobby Jacobs – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums; Berenice van Leer - vocal 

Producer: Bobby Jacobs 

Label: Eastworld Recordings

Date of recording/release: November, 2012

Alternative version: This is a version of Brazil Love

The track begins with rhythmic drums. After five seconds the bass and jazz piano come in then electric guitar. A piano trill at 34 seconds announces a rising choral and guitar part. Then at 1:05 a new driving guitar theme begins and is joined by the flute from 1:44 to 2:13. We then revert to the choral and guitar theme - the guitar perhaps a little wilder. At 2:28 the flute is back, though further back in the mix. At 2:40 to 3:44 van Leer comes in with a spoken style vocal (see below). The vocal continues until the flute and other instruments come back to the fore, the guitar leading latterly. At 4:17 the guitar announces the final part, a brief drum break until 4:43 when the bass adds its own contribution, which goes on until the fade. Apparently there was more but it had to be cut.

Lyrics

I don't want to know just how I feel

Cannot bear to know just how I feel - crossroads ahead

I don't want to think in terms of tears

There's no time to lose you're here

At the crossroads we part.

Love is far ahead and far behind. - the crossroads are here.

How can we still look back at the past, it doesn't last

We cannot change the good and bad times we remember

Here we meet and here we part my friend

And I will love you 'til the end ...

Just like the tide that keep on rolling.

Track by track 134 Message Magique

Archive number: 134
Title: Message Magique

Main Album: Focus X 

Track number: 9

Genre: Progressive Rock with vocal 

Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium 

Length: 3:53

Composer: Ben van der Linden

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Piano, organ, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Bobby Jacobs – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums 

Producer: Bobby Jacobs 

Label: Eastworld Recordings

Date of recording/release: November, 2012

Alternative version: An earlier flute version of this track can be found on Thijs's solo album Renaissance

Notes: The track is introduced by nine seconds of drums then a piano and bass come in for another nine seconds before the lead guitar takes up the main theme in that rising Focus style that is so familiar. This continues until 1:46 when it is the turn of the flute to lead for several bars. From 2:27, it is flute and guitar that synchronise to lead the band. Around 3:15 the descent to the close begins, chiefly led by the flute but concluding with a satisfying sigh from the lead guitar.
Note on Ben van der Linden. 

Van der Linden (no relation) is a pianist and composer. He learned to play the organ as a child in church. He also studied piano with Jaap Callenbach at the Rotterdam Conservatory. He became pianist with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra for two and a half years then studied electronic music with CEM and jazz with Chick Corea.
He also led the Ben van der Linden Trio and was a student of jazz pianist Louis van Dijk.
Over the years he has worked with van Leer and many others including the singer Della Bosiers, the Peter Blanker Consort, Liselore Gerritsen, Fons Jansen, violinist Christiaan Bor, Conny Vandenbos, filmmaker Bob Rooijens, Henk van Ulsen, Ramses Shaffy, Willem Wilmink, Jan Boer Chair, Audrey Hepburn and Huub Oosterhuis. He was musical leader with Paul van Vliet for nine years and has composed hundreds of songs for different people. His work can be heard on around 80 commercial recordings.

Track by track 133 Talk of the Clown

Archive number: 133
Title: Talk of the Clown

Main Album: Focus X 

Track number: 8

Genre: Progressive Rock with vocal 

Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium 

Length: 2:59

Composer: Thijs van Leer (based on James Hook)

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Flute; Menno Gootjes – Acoustic guitar; Bobby Jacobs – Bass; Pierre Van der Linden – Drums 

Producer: Bobby Jacobs 

Label: Eastworld Recordings

Date of recording/release: November, 2012

Alternative version: A briefer version of the same track is on Thijs's solo album Renaissance entitled Pierrot
Notes: This playful little acoustic instrumental piece has a renaissance feel about it with Thijs's flute and Menno's guitar leading things with a bass and marching drum backing. A joyful little gem.

Note on James Hook (1746-1827).

Born in Norwich, England, Hook was the son of a razor-grinder and cutler and a musical child prodigy. Some time around 1764 he moved to London to become organist at White Conduit House, Pentonville, a tea garden, a popular venue in 18th-century London. He worked as an organist, teacher and composer and gained a reputation for composing vocal music. He married artist and writer Elizabeth Jane Madden in 1766. They had two son. In 1768 he became organist and composer to Marylebone Gardens. In addition to performances on organ, and occasionally on harpsichord, he was now invited to perform concertos between the main works in theatres, and his short musical entertainments and comic operas were being produced for pleasure gardens and in London theatres. In 1776 he became organist at St Johns Horselydown, Bermondsey, and frequently played concerts on newly built organs, in London and beyond, often playing his own compositions. He was highly successful as a keyboard teacher. He later worked at Vauxhall Gardens. His pupil Margaret Thornton (after marriage Martyr) often sang his songs there. Over the years Hook composed operas and other works, most of which were produced at Drury Lane and Covent Garden Theatres. He frequently collaborated with family members. His wife wrote the libretto for opera The Double Disguise (1784); his son James librettos for Jack of Newbury (1795) and Diamond Cut Diamond (1797) and his other son Thomas Edward librettos for at least eight operas. In 1805 his first wife died and the next year he married Harriet Horncastle James. It was at this time that he produced his best work, Tekeli, or the Siege of Montgatz, the life and adventure of Imre Thököly. In 1820 he unexpectedly left his position at Vauxhall, after almost a half century of service. He died seven years later in Boulogne.

Focus Under the Bridge London October 2019

I have been to Stamford Bridge, Chelsea's ground, more than once but I had not really noticed that under the East stadium near the Shed end there is a venue called Under the Bridge, Last Friday night I and a ministerial friend (who I convinced about Focus last time they were in town) were among a couple of hundred squeezed into this state of the art setting. (A light show is a rare treat at a Focus gig but appreciated - I think the visuals man must have a sense of humour as we had a picture of crocuses as we started on Hocus Pocus or as Jan Akkerman would surely have rechristiened it Focus crocus!). We caught most of Chantel McGregor's set which was of a high standard. She plays guitar and sings with a bass and drums rhythm section. Of course, once Focus stepped on stage were into a whole new zone with each member of the band making a solid contribution that was rewarded with a solo slot for for each - more in some cases. Van Leer was on form with the complete array of two kinds of flute, organ, melodica, scat, whistling, throat singing, lots of vocoder and a brief vocal on the opening song.
The set list began as usual with some very early stuff - Focus 1, a little Anonymus and House of the King. We then had a version of Eruption, good but not outstanding on this occasion I thought. We then moved on to some more recent stuff - Winnie and the simple but effective All hands on deck with the essential Sylvia in the middle.

We then had some songs rarely heard, if ever - Focus 4 (!) from Mother Focus and Focus 6 which has never appeared on a Focus album (I can only find it on a van Leer solo album. You can hear a recent live version here.). Between these we had Who's calling? originally on the Akkerman van Leer Focus collaboration of 1985 but recently revived on the Focus 11 album. Staying with 1985 material we then had a very fine version of Le Tango with melodics, whistling, etc. Before tackling that Thijs remarked on the presence in the audience of former wife Rosalie Peters who wrote lyrics for  this and other songs. We then had two numbers from Hamburger Concerto regularly played back to back La Cathedrale and Harem Scarem. In the second, van Leer takes opportunity to make himself scarce. So we had solos from Menno Gootjes and Udo Pannekeet on six string bass. Van der Linden had had one in Eruption and was to get another very full one on the penultimate track.

The set of over two amazing hours (no-one in the band showing any signs of tiring) closed with the usual Hocus Pocus and then slightly over they plumped for Focus 2 (rather than Focus 3) as the closer. Stupendous stuff.

There was an opportunity to meet the band but there was a rather long queue and so we decided to head off.