been there at the time....had their records....loved their new different take....and music did change at the beginning of the 70s....after the initial big bang in the late 60s.....And i had a black Gibson LP custom then (which i sold....sadly) which was as dead as a door nail....heady times....
Yep. Jan Akkerman is so overlooked now. He was not only technically a better player than so many more famous rock guitarists of the time, but he clearly had much broader musical knowledge than many, and was very original.
The second phrase (Lick #2) is from the song "La Cathédrale de Strasbourg" from the album Hamburger Concerto. If you've not heard it, do yourself a favor & listen to it immediately!
Great stuff Dave! I'm a little sad this is the last of the Dutch coverage. I was hoping you'd get to Urban Dance Squad and the guitar stylings of Rene van Barneveld. Keep up the good work Dave.
The music culture in the 70’s was a sign of the times … incredible player, maybe ahead of his time 😎 … any thought of doing a segment on Kerry Livgren ?
Focus’s big break was playing the U.K. late evening rock show Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973 - they created an instant buzz with that one appearance and then had their big hit Sylvia.
Jan wrote so many great tunes. If I may give some suggestions; “House of the King”, “Tommy” and the USA version of “Hocus Pocus”. He and I were columnists for the same guitarmagazine (Guitar Plus) for some years and I got to know him as someone with a great sense of humor (mostly edgy “dad jokes” that only work in the Dutch language). Featuring Jan in LNS (voted best guitarplayer in the world in 1973) is more than justified if you ask me. We Dutch would say “goed bezig” (well done)……
@@ljw5768 Absolutely right, he did. Barlage played sax in the band Solution and recorded the song with the title "Divergence". Jan renamed the tune "Tommy" when he recorded it. The original (go to 0:20 to get to the point where the Focus version starts): th-cam.com/video/QNRgRkfdZ0w/w-d-xo.html
@@willschut4917 Thanks for the link. I've been following Focus & Jan for just over 50 years. My first gig was on the Hamburger tour in 1974. Last time I saw Focus was in Wales last month and Jan (twice) in the Trading Boundaries last week. My favourite band & guitarist ever.
YOU PROBABLY DIDNT KNOW THAT JAN AKKERMAN WAS PERFORMING AT THE GRAND GALA DU DISC IN FRONT OF THE QUEEN AND THE ENTIRE WORLD ! BUT THEN HE HEARD SOMEBODY BETWEEN THE COULISSEN SAY SOMETHING LIKE HUH IS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST GUITARIST IN THE WORLD JUST A SPANISH GUITAR ? AND HE GOT UP WALKED OVER TO THE GUY AND OF SCREEN GAVE HIM A RIGHT HOOK AND DIDNT COME BACK THIS WAS THE MAJOR SET BACK ON HIS CAREER
George Kooneymans from Golden Earring was a great player too. Of course Adrian Vandenberg was amazing. EVH was born in the Netherlands. Never realized how many great axemen came from The Netherlands.
YES...........ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS VIDEO..UNCLE~MR.JAN AKKERMAN IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE GUITARIST..
HE IS CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED...
Dutch glory! I am from Netherlands cool video! 🤟🤟
I never clicked on a video so fast. Jan was also in a band called Brainbox that are also worth looking into.
I still struggle with those quick maj7/min7 changes in Hocus Pocus.
I featured that song/riff in the "Prog Rock Chords" Chordplay episode from last year.
Check it out if you haven't already and ROCK ON!
One of the greatest progressive rock pioneers ever ...great lesson Dave !...You never cease to amaze me.
been there at the time....had their records....loved their new different take....and music did change at the beginning of the 70s....after the initial big bang in the late 60s.....And i had a black Gibson LP custom then (which i sold....sadly) which was as dead as a door nail....heady times....
Saw Jan play live in the UK last month, two gigs on consecutive nights. He’s still amazing at age 78.
Yep. Jan Akkerman is so overlooked now. He was not only technically a better player than so many more famous rock guitarists of the time, but he clearly had much broader musical knowledge than many, and was very original.
but he didnt have the songs or writing talent that the famous rock guitarists did, technique only gets ya so far
@knightfall9394 there are several possibilities.
Either you don't know his work well, or you don't know the music well, or both at the same time.
@@knight81919 lol whatever, jan obviously didn’t have the songwriting talent and that should be pretty obvious.
He actually didn’t have much theoretical knowledge back then, by his own admission. He was fairly instinctive. A bit like Beck.
The second phrase (Lick #2) is from the song "La Cathédrale de Strasbourg" from the album Hamburger Concerto. If you've not heard it, do yourself a favor & listen to it immediately!
I wore out the LP! Amazing music...
I listened... didn't hear much guitar?
Amazing guitarist! Really good! I mean world top!
I have loved his soloing on Hocus Pocus since I was a kid. He RIPS on that tune!
Had the album. Saw them live. Thank you Dave.
Even Jimmy Page said Akkerman was the best. He straddled rock and jazz fusion, etc sort of like Jeff Beck, but he had his own unique chops and style.
Excellent, cheers from Canada....
Very interesting analysis! That lick at 6:00 is from a piece called "La Cathedrale De Strasbourg."
I'm watching ween live in Chicago dvd it's superb. Excellent live band. 😊
Ha! Got my wish. Thank you
Great stuff Dave! I'm a little sad this is the last of the Dutch coverage. I was hoping you'd get to Urban Dance Squad and the guitar stylings of Rene van Barneveld. Keep up the good work Dave.
I own a CD by Akkerman. First time I've heard anyone mention him.
Jan is one of my guitar heroes.. Listen to Focus's "wingless"...
Eef Albers is the guitarist on Wingless. It’s on the 1977 album Focus Con Proby. Jan left in 1976.
The music culture in the 70’s was a sign of the times … incredible player, maybe ahead of his time 😎 … any thought of doing a segment on Kerry Livgren ?
Jan the MAN
Focus’s big break was playing the U.K. late evening rock show Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973 - they created an instant buzz with that one appearance and then had their big hit Sylvia.
Jan wrote so many great tunes. If I may give some suggestions; “House of the King”, “Tommy” and the USA version of “Hocus Pocus”. He and I were columnists for the same guitarmagazine (Guitar Plus) for some years and I got to know him as someone with a great sense of humor (mostly edgy “dad jokes” that only work in the Dutch language). Featuring Jan in LNS (voted best guitarplayer in the world in 1973) is more than justified if you ask me. We Dutch would say “goed bezig” (well done)……
Tom Barlage wrote Tommy.
@@ljw5768 Absolutely right, he did. Barlage played sax in the band Solution and recorded the song with the title "Divergence". Jan renamed the tune "Tommy" when he recorded it. The original (go to 0:20 to get to the point where the Focus version starts): th-cam.com/video/QNRgRkfdZ0w/w-d-xo.html
@@willschut4917 Thanks for the link. I've been following Focus & Jan for just over 50 years. My first gig was on the Hamburger tour in 1974. Last time I saw Focus was in Wales last month and Jan (twice) in the Trading Boundaries last week. My favourite band & guitarist ever.
Love it! Focus chord play soon haha?
YOU PROBABLY DIDNT KNOW THAT JAN AKKERMAN WAS PERFORMING AT THE GRAND GALA DU DISC IN FRONT OF THE QUEEN AND THE ENTIRE WORLD ! BUT THEN HE HEARD SOMEBODY BETWEEN THE COULISSEN SAY SOMETHING LIKE HUH IS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST GUITARIST IN THE WORLD JUST A SPANISH GUITAR ? AND HE GOT UP WALKED OVER TO THE GUY AND OF SCREEN GAVE HIM A RIGHT HOOK AND DIDNT COME BACK THIS WAS THE MAJOR SET BACK ON HIS CAREER
Funny to see this as a Dutch guy! 😊
More Jan Akkerman pls. Intrigued
George Kooneymans from Golden Earring was a great player too. Of course Adrian Vandenberg was amazing. EVH was born in the Netherlands.
Never realized how many great axemen came from The Netherlands.
Eelco Gelling, Ted Oberg , Julian Sas,Harry Sacksioni,Jerome Hol, Rene van Barneveld,
The song Hocus Pocus is the only time I ever thought yodeling was cool
How about a lesson on dean ween from ween ? He's an excellent ,unique guitarist. 😊
Now you’re talking
jan akkerman is a legend. Listen to pre maddonna live
The studio version is Prima Donna but the live version on the album 10,000 Clowns was titled Pre Madonna as a joke.