I heard this solo of Jan Akkerman more than 40 years. And today I saw it the first time. And it's realy unbelievable. The guitar solo is one thing. But it based upon a realy amazing band. I heard Focus the first time in the age of 13 in Frankfurt, Germany. Today it's my 63 birthday. And this Video Clip is the best present i received today ❤
And lo from the east, the land of the Nether, came the one called Akkerman. And the pentatonic pirates were in awe and afraid. They asked ‘what does he play? Why does it sound so different to us? And why can’t we do that’? And thus guitar playing was changed forever. And light came upon the land and it was good.
Yep at 3.05. And what he plays with five strings for a short while is amazing. On the Rainbow album you can clearly hear the string pop. I love how he comes back in after the string change, stretching and tuning as he goes.
I recorded this from the TV onto a cassette when it was originally broadcast c.June ‘73. It left a real impression and still moves me, 51 years on. Jan never sounded or played better than he did that night IMO. He was soaring on that Les Paul.
Fuck me. Jan Ackermann from 6.40 😮. Is this guy human or did somebody speed the tape up by 5 times. This guy never ceases to amaze me. Most definitely the greatest guitarist of all time.
all real....most know only the radio hit Hocus Pocus...but just listen to the first side of Moving Waves and you'll see what this band was capable of...still to this day, it's untouchable stuff.
I've literally been brought up listening to Focus. I've had Moving Waves since I was about 6 years old. Going to see Focus on 7th November at the Oran Mór in Glasgow. This will be the 4th time I've caught them live. Can't wait. 👍👍👍
There is no such thing as the 'greatest' guitarist of all - or, for that matter, any - time. The very notion of a greatest guitarist / drummer / bassist etc etc etc is meaningless. We're fortunate enough to have been gifted with many fine musicians and ranking them is a nonsense.
Great concert by a great band. There were many fine continental European prog rock bands in 1973, not just Focus. Tasavallan Presidentti (and guitarist Jukka Tolonen) of Finland and PFM of Italy are two amongst many who made quite an impression in the UK as well. Jukka Tolonen was only 19 when he recorded his first solo album in 1971, and his playing has elements of Hendrix, Zappa, and McLaughlin in it. He is also a fine pianist. His guitar solos often go more into bebop than Akkerman did. Jan tended to be heavily influenced by Django Reinhardt, the great gypsy jazz player of the 1930s-50s, and many of Django's riffs made their way into Akkerman's solos.
As for predecessors to Focus, King Crimson's debut album from 1969 started the ball rolling for prog rock. Guitarist Robert Fripp played a plethora of scales and modes far outside the blues rock that was commonplace at that time. Genesis (and guitarist Steve Hackett) avoided pentatonic scales as well. Keith Emerson was playing classical and jazz mixed with rock in the Nice before Focus even existed, and played Bartok's "Allegro Barbaro" as the opening track of ELP's debut album in 1970.
I really appreciate what you say about the Finnish guitarist. But on the other hand I don't agree with what you say about Jan Akkerman. Yes he was influenced by Django Reinhardt. But not only because he had a very strong classical influence through his training. he was much more complete than all the guitarists I have known so far. From blues to rock, funk to different forms of jazz, classical and other forms of European music, soul music, also superb rhythm guitarist of Spanish classical in some pieces and other bizarre experiments on some albums. I must certainly have forgotten some examples. Also multi instrumentalist drums wind instrument keyboard bass drums and others and especially the lute playing much more difficult to master at that time than any guitar of the time.
I am open to correction - having listened to Jan on guitar and lute for 50 years, I've only once heard him on keyboards (the opening of "Fresh Air" on his 1972 Profile album) and never on wind instruments or drums (drum machine programming, yes). His brother Jacob "Cocky" Akkerman was a drummer, though.
Regarding certain instruments, it is actually difficult to notice how you play. This information is grouped here and there. It's hard to say if he was credited for it on some albums or if it was just studio playing or other circumstances. But the most important thing is the guitar side in its diversity and also the lute. This side is accessible with curiosity.
Thijs van Leer - keyboards, flute, vocals Jan Akkerman - guitar and lute Bert Ruiter - bass guitar and backup vocals (on "Tommy") Pierre van der Linden - drums
yeah...congats Finneas...you have a new Fender Acoustasonic guitar named after you....why don't you take a moment and listen to someone that actuallly knows how to play and isn't the brother of someone famous...
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 85 | คู่เอก "ยอดเหล็กเพชร vs ผึ้งหลวง"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Qq_19bnnxEo/mqdefault.jpg)
Akkerman super guitarist !!!
I heard this solo of Jan Akkerman more than 40 years. And today I saw it the first time. And it's realy unbelievable. The guitar solo is one thing. But it based upon a realy amazing band. I heard Focus the first time in the age of 13 in Frankfurt, Germany.
Today it's my 63 birthday. And this Video Clip is the best present i received today ❤
I feel this with you brother. To see it after all these year is emotional.
Best band ever!👍
And lo from the east, the land of the Nether, came the one called Akkerman. And the pentatonic pirates were in awe and afraid. They asked ‘what does he play? Why does it sound so different to us? And why can’t we do that’? And thus guitar playing was changed forever. And light came upon the land and it was good.
Couldn't have said it better!
Changed my life too (and my guitar playing) forever, still the greatest (well I think anyway)!👍
So beautifully said👏.
Correction; And lo from the" West," The Land of the Nether... etc., etc.,....
@@timmit3579last time I looked, the Netherlands were east of the UK.
Ian Akkermann what an immense guitarist
One of the best rock solos ever, and he also broke a string!
anyone notice Akkerman broke a string and changes it during the flute solo.
Yep, ready with a new string, stretched and ready for the guitar solo
Yep, at 3.06. He handled it brilliantly! 😵
Yep at 3.05. And what he plays with five strings for a short while is amazing. On the Rainbow album you can clearly hear the string pop. I love how he comes back in after the string change, stretching and tuning as he goes.
Didn't just break a string, the saddle from his bridge fell on the floor as well!
@@Chloe-cv6wm I remember him saying that in an interview.
Amazing..... and over 50 years ago too!!! 😵
I saw Focus live Newcastle City Hall.. same year 73... just excellent!!.... great time's
I recorded this from the TV onto a cassette when it was originally broadcast c.June ‘73. It left a real impression and still moves me, 51 years on.
Jan never sounded or played better than he did that night IMO.
He was soaring on that Les Paul.
What an amazing performance. What a band
The Dutch Masters of rock and roll...
Solo impressionante e dramático.
Dreamy and totally wonderful...
This is absolutely fantastic! Thank you for sharing this with the world!
Damn, that's some nice bass. A good bass truly is the heart beat of rock.
Que mejor tema ,te sube al máximo, que tiempos aquellos, los escuche a los 11 años, de un disco que trajo a casa mi hermano mayor,nostalgia 😢
I saw them live around this time. They were amazing.
That’s great!
I wanted to see his this live play!
Thanks you uproad!
Fantastic ! I met Jan , years sgo ! WE
Fuck me. Jan Ackermann from 6.40 😮. Is this guy human or did somebody speed the tape up by 5 times. This guy never ceases to amaze me. Most definitely the greatest guitarist of all time.
all real....most know only the radio hit Hocus Pocus...but just listen to the first side of Moving Waves and you'll see what this band was capable of...still to this day, it's untouchable stuff.
I've literally been brought up listening to Focus. I've had Moving Waves since I was about 6 years old. Going to see Focus on 7th November at the Oran Mór in Glasgow. This will be the 4th time I've caught them live. Can't wait. 👍👍👍
There is no such thing as the 'greatest' guitarist of all - or, for that matter, any - time. The very notion of a greatest guitarist / drummer / bassist etc etc etc is meaningless.
We're fortunate enough to have been gifted with many fine musicians and ranking them is a nonsense.
Great concert by a great band. There were many fine continental European prog rock bands in 1973, not just Focus. Tasavallan Presidentti (and guitarist Jukka Tolonen) of Finland and PFM of Italy are two amongst many who made quite an impression in the UK as well.
Jukka Tolonen was only 19 when he recorded his first solo album in 1971, and his playing has elements of Hendrix, Zappa, and McLaughlin in it. He is also a fine pianist. His guitar solos often go more into bebop than Akkerman did. Jan tended to be heavily influenced by Django Reinhardt, the great gypsy jazz player of the 1930s-50s, and many of Django's riffs made their way into Akkerman's solos.
As for predecessors to Focus, King Crimson's debut album from 1969 started the ball rolling for prog rock. Guitarist Robert Fripp played a plethora of scales and modes far outside the blues rock that was commonplace at that time. Genesis (and guitarist Steve Hackett) avoided pentatonic scales as well. Keith Emerson was playing classical and jazz mixed with rock in the Nice before Focus even existed, and played Bartok's "Allegro Barbaro" as the opening track of ELP's debut album in 1970.
I really appreciate what you say about the Finnish guitarist. But on the other hand I don't agree with what you say about Jan Akkerman. Yes he was influenced by Django Reinhardt. But not only because he had a very strong classical influence through his training. he was much more complete than all the guitarists I have known so far. From blues to rock, funk to different forms of jazz, classical and other forms of European music, soul music, also superb rhythm guitarist of Spanish classical in some pieces and other bizarre experiments on some albums. I must certainly have forgotten some examples. Also multi instrumentalist drums wind instrument keyboard bass drums and others and especially the lute playing much more difficult to master at that time than any guitar of the time.
I am open to correction - having listened to Jan on guitar and lute for 50 years, I've only once heard him on keyboards (the opening of "Fresh Air" on his 1972 Profile album) and never on wind instruments or drums (drum machine programming, yes). His brother Jacob "Cocky" Akkerman was a drummer, though.
Regarding certain instruments, it is actually difficult to notice how you play. This information is grouped here and there. It's hard to say if he was credited for it on some albums or if it was just studio playing or other circumstances. But the most important thing is the guitar side in its diversity and also the lute. This side is accessible with curiosity.
Thijs van Leer - keyboards, flute, vocals
Jan Akkerman - guitar and lute
Bert Ruiter - bass guitar and backup vocals (on "Tommy")
Pierre van der Linden - drums
yeah...congats Finneas...you have a new Fender Acoustasonic guitar named after you....why don't you take a moment and listen to someone that actuallly knows how to play and isn't the brother of someone famous...
TALENT NOT LIKE TODAYS UTTER RUBBISH EH . WE HAD THE BEST MUSIC BACK THEN .