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.  

Track by track 71 Nightflight

Archive number: 71
Title: Nightflight
Main Album: Focus Con Proby
Track number: 3
Genre: Progressive Jazz Instrumental
Studio: EMI Studios, Hilversum, The Netherlands
Length: 3' 35”
Composer: Eef Albers
Musicians: Eef Albers - Electric guitars; Thijs van Leer – Mellotron, Electric piano, Synthesisers; Bert Ruiter – Bass; Steve Smith - Drums
Producer: Yde de Jong
Engineer: Jan van Vrijaldenhoven/Mike Stavron
Label: EMI
Date of recording/release: Recorded 1977 Released 1978 LP – 1978 CD – 1998
Alternative versions: None
Notes: This lively but unremarkable and rather jazz track zips straight in, led by guitar. The pace quickens and gets jazzier at 00:41. A distinctive hornlike synthesiser sound comes in at 02:44-02:55 followed by a brief guitar solo then a break down and fade.

Note on Nighflight (from Wikipedia)

Nightflight is also the name of a 1975 song with vocals by Led Zeppelin, a 1933 film starring Clark Gable and a 1931 novel by the aviator Antoine Saint-Exupéry.