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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20201113

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

20201101

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.

20201014

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.

20201013

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

20200927

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

20200926

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.