In and Out of Focus Harmonic Profile (from GetSongKey)

 

More on Melanie and Akkerman

So the album is out and can be heard. (Several tracks are on YouTube). It is a nice album but very much a Melanie album. One can hear little Akkerman bits perhaps but it is a selfless bit of support for the big star from America in the main. On the second track she introduces Jan and Raul Rekow, the conga player from Santana and there is a brief instrumental track featuring a bit of Classical Gas and Gate to Europe. Neither Melanie nor Raul are with us any more.

Melanie and Akkerman 1988

Amazingly, this month (October 18 2024) an unlikely 1988 recording will be published that everyone seems to have forgotten. There must be little in common between the American singer songwriter, the late Melanie Safka (she died early this year) and the virtuoso guitarist Jan Akkerman. However, on May 24, 1988 the two legends found themselves not only sharing the stage but actually performing together.

This unique collaboration, which took place in Leiden, Holland, during a music festival, was captured on a professional recording, and is soon set to see release as “In Focus: Live ’88”.

Akkerman with a female vocalist is hardly unheard of as recordings with Trea Dobbs, Karin Kent, Wanda, Bojoura, Yvette Cason, B B Queen and his own daughter Laurie demonstrate.

There must be  afew recordings like this about, where successful American artists came to Holland and took advantage of the local talent available. And then there is the live performance of Tubular Bells when Akkerman stood in for a jittery Mike Oldfield. Wouldn't mind hearing that.

The track list is as follows. Track 5 looks interesting.

1. Beautiful People

2. Chosen Few

3. What Have They Done To The Rain

4. Bon Appétit

5. Jan Akkerman and Raul Rekow instrumental

6. Every Breath Of The Way

7. Working Legend

8. Loving The Boy Next Door

9. Just Can’t Do It

10. Together Alone

11. Private Parts

12. Prematurely Grey

13. What Have They Done To My Song, Ma

14. Tuning My Guitar

15. Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)

Track by track 210 Gaia

Main Album: Focus 12

Title: Gaia

Track number: 10

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands

Length: 4:16

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Piano, Hammond organ, Flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Pannekeet - Bass, synthesisers; Pierre van der Linden - Drums

Producer: Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes

Label: Spirit of the Unicorn

Date of recording/release: July 2024

Alternative recording: None

Notes: After a piano-led band introduction in the first two minutes or so a quicker section breaks in eventually echoing the earlier theme and then fading out. Name of another grand child it seems.

Track by track 209 Positano

Main Album: Focus 12

Title: Positano

Track number: 9

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands

Length: 3:28

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Piano, Flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Pannekeet - Bass, synthesisers; Pierre van der Linden - Drums

Producer: Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes

Label: Spirit of the Unicorn

Date of recording/release: July 2024

Alternative recording: None

Notes: We begin with a pleasant acoustic guitar piano piece (00:00-01:15) followed by 20 seconds or so of electronically treated synthesised flute. A beat then brews up beneath that until at the two minute mark a yearning electric guitar-led band breaks in with a fresh tune. After 40 seconds of this the lead is taken on by the flute. At the very end the synthesised flute pattern is isolated and plays out for the last 15 seconds.

Positano is a village on the Amalfi Coast (Province of Salerno), in Campania, Italy, mainly in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast. It has along history back before Roman times. Modern era Positano became a wealthy market port from the 15-17th century and has only continued to grow in popularity over time. Back then they traded food such as fish and other resources. By the mid-19th century, however, the town had fallen on hard times. More than half the population emigrated, mostly to the USA, it seems. It began to attract a large number of tourists in the 1950s, especially after John Steinbeck published his essay about Positano in Harper's Bazaar in May 1953: "Positano Bites Deep". Steinbeck wrote, "It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone."

David Bowie

 

On March 1, 1972 Focus played alongside David Bowie in Bristol

Track by track 208 Bowie

Main Album: Focus 12

Title: Bowie

Track number: 8

Genre: Piano piece

Studio: Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands

Length: 3:24

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Piano

Producer: Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes

Label: Spirit of the Unicorn

Date of recording/release: July 2024

Alternative recording: None

Notes: This pleasant piece is all on piano with no accompaniment. It is undoubtedly a reference to the late David Bowie. In that regard it may match the track Janis. I hear that in fact it is in reference to a grand daughter and so matches Wim not Janis. My mistake. (Trust nothing you read on the Internet!).

(Wikipedia) David Bowie

David Robert Jones (1947-2016) known professionally as David Bowie - English singer, songwriter, musician, actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his innovative work during the 1970s. His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation, and his music and stagecraft had a significant impact on popular music. Bowie developed an interest in music from an early age. He studied art, music and design before embarking on a professional career as a musician in 1963. He released a string of unsuccessful singles with local bands and a self-titled solo album (1967) before achieving his first top-five entry on the UK Singles Chart with "Space Oddity" (1969). After a period of experimentation, he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with the flamboyant and androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust. The character was spearheaded by the success of "Starman" and the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (both 1972), which won him widespread popularity. In 1975, Bowie's style shifted towards a sound he characterised as "plastic soul", initially alienating many of his UK fans but garnering his first major US crossover success with the number-one single "Fame" and the album Young Americans (both 1975). In 1976, Bowie starred in the cult film The Man Who Fell to Earth and released Station to Station. In 1977, he again changed direction with the electronic-inflected album Low, the first of three collaborations with Brian Eno that came to be known as the Berlin Trilogy. "Heroes" (1977) and Lodger (1979) followed; each album reached the UK top five and received lasting critical praise. After uneven commercial success in the late 1970s, Bowie had three number-one hits: the 1980 single "Ashes to Ashes", its album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) and "Under Pressure" (a 1981 collaboration with Queen). He achieved his greatest commercial success in the 1980s with Let's Dance (1983). Between 1988 and 1992, he fronted the hard rock band Tin Machine before resuming his solo career in 1993. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Bowie continued to experiment with musical styles, including industrial and jungle. He also continued acting; his roles included Major Jack Celliers in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), Jareth the Goblin King in Labyrinth (1986), Phillip Jeffries in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), Andy Warhol in the biopic Basquiat (1996), and Nikola Tesla in The Prestige (2006), among other film and TV appearances and cameos. He stopped touring after 2004 and his last live performance was at a charity event in 2006. He returned from a decade-long recording hiatus in 2013 with The Next Day and remained musically active until his death from liver cancer in 2016. He died two days after both his 69th birthday and the release of his final album, Blackstar. During his lifetime, record sales, estimated at over 100 million records worldwide, made him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. Often dubbed the "chameleon of rock" due to his constant musical reinventions, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Rolling Stone ranked him among the greatest artists in history.

Track by track 207 Nura

Main Album: Focus 12

Title: Nura
Track number: 7
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands
Length: 3:57
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, Flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Pannekeet - Bass; Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Producer: Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes
Label: Spirit of the Unicorn
Date of recording/release: July 2024
Alternative recording: None

Notes: Nura has a trademark van Leer keyboard introduction on Hammond organ with violined guitar. A caesura at 1:15 is followed by a raucous band backed guitar riff, joined briefly by the flute around 01:42. All is very jolly until 02:10 when the initial slow piece comes back in for about 40 seconds, backed with high-hat and cymbals. After a second caesura, the raucous part returns and plays out to the fade.

Track by track 206 Born To Be You

Main Album: Focus 12
Title: Born To Be You
Track number: 6
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands
Length: 1:48
Composer: Menno Gootjes
Musicians: Menno Gootjes – Piano
Producer: Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes
Label: Spirit of the Unicorn
Date of recording/release: July 2024
Alternative recording: None

Notes: We begin with solo piano (probably a Motif 8). There are some synthesised sounds in the background of this slow, rambling piece.

Track by track 205 All Aboard

Main Album: Focus 12

Title: All Aboard 

Track number: 5

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands

Length: 4:31

Composer: Udo Pannekeet

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums

Producer: Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes

Label: Spirit of the Unicorn

Date of recording/release: July 2024

Alternative recording: None

Notes: We begin with a groove from the rhythm section with plenty of cow bell. The flute comes in around 00:15 and then the guitar too from around 00:33. This all rises to a guitar chord that sounds at around 01:05. The band then carries on exploring the theme until a brief slow down around 01:40. It then carries on until another break down at 02:17 before heading onwards. At 03:05 a fresh choppy break is added. This dominates until the fade.

Track by track 204 Meta Indefinita

Main Album: Focus 12

Title: Meta Indefinita

Track number: 4

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands

Length: 4:36

Composer: Pierre van der Linden

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums

Producer: Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes

Label: Spirit of the Unicorn

Date of recording/release: July 2024

Alternative recording: None

Notes: The atmospheric track, said to be improvised, begins with a solo reverberating guitar. At around 00:20 a flute joins in and a bass guitar, mostly harmonics. The cymbals and drums are also heard from around 01:10 and begin to dominate but with guitar chords too and then flute and bass. From 03:31 the guitar is briefly 'violined'. Everything slows down after that and the piece drifts out much the way it drifted in. The title is the equivalent to something like no limits.

Track by track 203 Béla

Main Album: Focus 12

Title: Béla

Track number: 3

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands

Length: 4:08

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Piano, Hammond organ, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums

Producer: Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes

Label: Spirit of the Unicorn

Date of recording/release: July 2024

Alternative recording: None

Notes: The first minute and a half or so of this track is just piano. Then the reververating guitar-led band comes in more stridently, taking up the theme and playingit through two or three times. Is the title a reference to Bela Bartok? Actually a grand child!

Track by Track 202 Focus 13

Main Album: Focus 12

Title: Focus 13

Track number: 2

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands

Length: 5:09

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums

Producer: Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes

Label: Spirit of the Unicorn

Date of recording/release: July 2024

Alternative recording: None

Notes: A few seconds of drums introduce the whole guitar-led band playing the main slow theme. Around 02:30 there is a ritardando and at 03:37 the briefest of caesurae, then a brisk new theme comes in until 03:21 when a further development breaks in as guitar and hammond organ swap the lead. At 04:04 a frenetic guitar riff lead comes in and takes things on to the end with several reverbed siren-like elements.

Track by Track 201 Fjord Focus

Archive number: 201

Title: Fjord Focus

Main Album: Focus 12

Track number: 1

Genre: Progressive Jazz Instrumental

Studio: Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands

Length: 4:24

Composer: Thijs van Leer

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

Producer: Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes

Label: Spirit of the Unicorn

Date of recording/release: July 2024

Alternative recording: None

Notes: Focus keep up the humour with a toungue in cheek reference to the Ford Focus motor car. We begin with the whole band pumping oout a majestic and orchestral theme that breaks down at the 30 second mark with a jazzy guitar-lead and more mellow section, a flute section coming in 00:52-01:16 and a serie of descending scales to 01:40 when the original theme breaks back in again. At 02:07 Menno takes up the lead jazz rock electric guitar (all in one take apparently). At 03:39 the flute drifts back into the mix with piano too as things once again settle down to the close.  

Focus 12

A new Focus album is officially released today. Like other recent albums, its cover is graced with a pleasing piece of Roger Dean artwork. The opening two tracks - the tongue in cheek titled Fjord Focus and Focus 13 (yes 13, not 12) have been out for a while. These are the first two of a total of ten tracks, all written by our lead man Thijs van Leer, except for tracks 4-6 by the other members of the band. In reverse order - Born to be you is by Menno Gootjes, All Aboard is by Udo Pannekeet and Meta Indefinata is credited to drummer Pierre van der Linden, though it is not a drum track. As with any Focus album, it takes a while to get into what is going on but initial impressions are positive. All the tracks, as one might expect, are instrumental, although to have no vocals or voices at all is unusual if not unique. Acoustic guitar and flute are heard and plenty of piano and even may be some synthesisers appear. Uniquely, Bowie is a solo piano piece from van Leer. Born to be you is piano heavy too with no drums or bass as is the opening of Bela. One of the tracks was apparently completely improvised in the studio (Meta Indefinata).

Duets

There are at least four tracks where only two men play

1. Le Clochard where Akkerman plays acoustic guitar and van Leer is on Mellotron.

2. Delitae Musicae where Akkerman is on lute and van Leer on recorder.

3. Holy Graal where only van Leer and Dumee are involved.

4. Focus 9. Just van Leer and Gootjes on the Completely Focussed version.

Some of the tracks on Focus 1985 come into this category. Also, Born to be You on Focus 12 appears to be just van Leer and Gootjes, the composer.

Solo Tracks

Of the 200 tracks listed on this website so far, some 14 or so are solo efforts.

1. Moving Waves. Thijs van Leer sings and plays piano.

2. Britannia Live. On this unreleased track Jan Akkerman plays the lute.

3. Sonata for Flute (Live). Thijs van Leer. This is the first solo flute release.

4. Nature is our friend. Thijs van Leer. This is the second solo flute release.

5. Let us wander. Thijs van Leer. This is the third solo flute release.

6. Drum solo. Pierre van der Linden. This unreleased track can be found on Old Skin.

7. River Dance. Pierre van der Linden. This track from a solo album is on The Focus Family Album.

8. Spiritual Swung. Pierre van der Linden.  This track from the same solo album is also on The Focus Family Album.

9. Two part interventon. Menno Gootjes. Acoustic guitar solo.

10. Hazel. Menno Gootjes. Acoustic guitar solo.

11. Song for Yaminah. Udo Pannekeet. Bass solo.

12. Anaya. Ydo Pannekeet. Bass solo with drum machine.

Bowie and Born to be You from Focus 12, piano solos by Thijs van Leer and Menno Gootjes repectively, need to be added to this list.

Sound effects

A sound effect (or audio effect) is an artificially created or enhanced sound, or sound process used to emphasise artistic or other content of films and music or other media. Here we are thinking mainly of a sound recorded and presented to make a specific storytelling or creative point. Such effects are found on some few Focus tracks.

1. Elspeth of Nottingham. The sounds of birds and cows can be heard towards the end of the track and this is the first example of such a thing on a Focus recording.

2. Ship of memories. This track closes with wind and seagull sounds.

3. Red sky at night. This track begins and ends with the sound of a wind machine that appears to go on throughout the track.

4. Blizu Tébe. Seagulls are again heard both at the beginning and the end.

5. Flower shower. This strange track includes the sound of a bathroom shower.

6. Aya-yuppie-hippie-hee. At the beginning of this track van Leer blows a clay bird whistle.

7. Nature is our friend. The sound of ducks in the water and then various birds in a wood are heard throughout this track.

8. Let us wander. This track has a similar but different set of nature sounds near water and in woods.

200 Tracks and rising

According to our records, Focus have by now released 200 official recordings. That number is slightly misleading in that three tracks have been released twice - Clair-Obscur, Winnie and Victoria (shorter and longer versions).

So the exact number is 197.

There are

44 live tracks

We include four live albums (Rainbow, BBC, America and Rio) leaving 153 distinct studio tracks.

So 153 studio tracks.

20 or so re-recorded tracks

Sometimes tracks have been re-recorded, the obvious examples being the 9 tracks on Golden Oldies and 11 of the 12 tracks on Completely Focussed but also Birds come fly over and Eddy with different vocalists and two versions of Who's calling, leaving 130.

So about 130 fairly unique studio tracks.

First period - 49

There are 49 tracks from the first period, the Akkerman period - In and out (7) House of the King (1) Moving Waves (5) Focus 3 (9) Hamburger Concerto (6) and Mother Focus (12) plus the "Left overs album" Ship of Memories which featured 9 tracks.

That leaves 81.

Second period - 16

There are 16 tracks in what we might call the middle period, namely the albums Focus con Proby (9) and the album that Akkerman and van Leer did together in 1985 Focus.

That leaves 65.

Third period - 65

Those 65 are from the most recent period and include 10 on Focus 8, 5 on an obscure album dubbed 8.5/Old skin, 12 on Focus 9, 10 on Focus X, 11 on Focus 11, the track Focus 12 and 16 tracks unique to the album Focus Family album.

This third period number now rises to 75 with the release of the ten tracks on Focus 12 in 2024.

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 perfored 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.

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.

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 introduction to songs incuded

Track by track 175 Focus 11

Archive number: 175

Title: Focus 11

Main Album: Focus 11

Track number: 11

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands

Length: 6:11

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: November 2018

Alternative recording: Focus 50 Album Complelely Focussed

Notes: This stand out track is in several parts. We begin with with a beautiful guitar led slow melody that takes us to 1:15. Something more brisk then breaks in, introdiced by the piano but led by the guitar, flute and piano. This goes on until 1:47, ending on a long drawn out note that is succeeded by a further part based around a very catchy 10 note tune on guitar. At 3:07 there is a flute led bridge as far as 3:31 when the catchy melody comes back in. This meanders on until 4:38. From there to 5:41 we have a guitar led tune, again very catchy and ending on a long drawn out note. The final section is a repeat of the second brisk element from before again featuring piano and flute. The track ends with a flourish on solo flute.

Track by track 174 Final Analysis

Archive number: 174

Title: Final analysis

Main Album: Focus 11

Track number: 10

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands

Length: 3:51

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: November 2018

Alternative recording: None

Notes The track begins with 35 seconds of rhythmic drums and rhythm guitar work as it builds up an atmosphere (slightly reminiscent of the track Birth). A screaming guitar then comes in as the geat continues. At 54 seconds things skow slightly as the piano leads for a short while. A clear but slightly dissonant guitar leads briefly after that. The chugging beat continues then until at 1:31 the guitar leads again with a series of descending lines. The piano can still be heard behind it. At 3:13 the beat we began with resumes until 3:22 and again 3:32 when the piano motif is heard briefly twice more. The tracl=k then fades.

Track by track 173 Mare Nostrum

Archive number: 173

Title: Mare Nostrum
Main Album: Focus Family 11
Track number: 9

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: WedgeView Studios, Netherlands
Length: 5:08
Composer: Udo Pannekeet

Key: C
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: November 2018
Alternative recording: None

Notes: The whole band begin together with a laconic guitar-led melody slightly changing arouf the one minute mark. At about 1:53 the drums energetically lead into a jauntier section. The guitar work  grows increasingly more energetic. At around 4:32 it slows before quickly closing with drums and the whole band.

Mare Nostrum is the Latin for "Our Sea" and was a Roman name for the Mediterranean Sea. In the decades following the 1861 unification of Italy, Italian nationalists and Italian fascists who saw Italy as the successor state to the Roman Empire attempted to revive the term.