Focus

Formed in Amsterdam in 1969 around keyboardist and flautist Thijs van Leer, Focus is part of the Dutch progressive rock movement with a largely instrumental approach that blends symphonic rock, jazz influences and references to classical music. The band's early period crystallized with guitarist Jan Akkerman, first on In and Out of Focus (1970), then Moving Waves (1971) and Focus 3 (1972) — albums that established a sound built on long compositions, tempo contrasts, virtuosic guitar, organ and flute, with unusual vocal interventions such as on 'Hocus Pocus'. Drummer Pierre van der Linden played a central role in this development, before the lineup changed several times in the mid-1970s, notably on Hamburger Concerto (1974) and Mother Focus (1975). After Akkerman's departure in 1976 and a more fragmented activity, Focus resurfaced intermittently in the 1980s and was relaunched by Thijs van Leer in the early 2000s. Since then Focus has continued in new incarnations, documented by albums such as Focus 8 (2002), Focus X (2012), Focus 11 (2018) and Focus 12 (2024), while retaining the mix of melodic rigor, progressive development and instrumental writing that runs through its history.