01	Rock & Rio						03:27
	02	Tamara's Move						05:17
	03	Fretless Love						06:08
	04	Hurkey Turkey						04:15
	05	De Ti O De Mi						06:30
	06	Focus 8						06:19
	07	Sto Ces Raditi Zivota						05:26
	08	Neurotika (Rehearsal Take)						03:47
	09	Brother						05:39
	10	Blizu Tebe						06:38
	11	Flower Shower (Bonus)						05:41

Limited Edition

Focus - 8

Released: self-produced
Label: advance copy limited to 500 numbered copies
Cat. No.:
Total Time: 59:12

Reviewed by: John "Bo Bo" Bollenberg, September 2002

Based on an idea to form a Focus tribute band as a surprise for Thijs Van Leer, the soon to be launched Hocus Pocus tribute band suddenly got another dimension when Thijs, amazed at what he heard, decided to join the band and, why not, call the band Focus, because that's exactly what it was. And because a new album would be the 8th official Focus album, why not make it easy and call the shiny silver disc 8? Prior to the official release of the album, a limited run of 500 numbered copies were pressed in time for the band's performance at the Whitchurch Festival. So will the same eleven tracks finally make it onto the official album? God only knows! We can only hope so because every single track on this album (except maybe the bonus track), breathes, lives and sounds like only Focus can. Whether the song is a Thijs Van Leer original or written by newcomer guitarist Jan Dumee, these guys deliver a sound quality only one band can produce and that's Focus!

Van Leer still plays the flute, wrestles with the organ, hums and whistles as if we'd find ourselves merely a week after the band's memorable concert at the Rainbow Theatre in London. But that was ... 5th May 1973! Almost thirty years ago! So what about the new music? The yodelling is right in place for the opening track "Rock & Rio" which illustrates the band's enthusiasm regarding their South-American tour. And boy does that new guitarist smoke! Who needs Akkerman? Over the years, Van Leer has developped a way of playing the flute which is his very own, as if he's the Hendrix of the flute. It's exactly that distinctive sound which could make "Tamara's Move," the new "Hocus Pocus;" in other words a true classic in the making. As it's a song written by Jan Dumee, it illustrates how well the "new" Jan is acquainted with the Focus legacy. In fact, sometimes he's been listening so good that certain new songs get damn close to some "older" Focus material. Take the intro for "Fretless Love,"which sounds very much like "Focus II" from the Making Waves album.

Based on a rhythmic backbone courtesy of Bobby Jacobs, Thijs' stepson, "De Ti O De Mi" once again evolves into pure vintage Focus material once organ and guitar step in, almost sounding like a "Hamburger Concerto" outtake. In a similar way we can approach what is the core of the album, the title track "Focus 8." Soft jazzy and acoustic guitar touches govern another Dumee composition: "Sto Ces Raditi Zivota" where Van Leer adds both organ and flute in order to give it that distinct Focus flavour. As kind of a tribute to drummer Ruben Van Roon who started the whole re-union idea, a rehearsal take of "Neurotika" is added, which is exactly the kind of song which fuses all of the highlights of the entire Focus career into one ball of renewed Focus energy.

During live gigs Thijs Van Leer introduces the track "Brother" as one of his all-time favourite Focus tracks. Originally sung by P.J. Proby on the Focus Con Proby album, the band has decided to give the song a second chance this time with the flute replacing the vocal passages (although live it is Thijs who sings the by now immortal lines!). In his own "Blizu Tebe" (where does he get those names from?), Jan Dumee illustrates what a great asset to the band he really is. The album closes with a humorous operetta written and conceived in the shower. "Flower Shower" is indeed a funny thing to listen to, maybe hence the wording 'bonus track' as indeed it has very little to do with the rest of the album. It nevertheless illustrates the enthusiasm which can be found in this younger version of Focus. Maybe not all the material on Focus 8 is strong enough to be transferred onto disc straight away but that same enthusiasm simply drove these four people into the studio. Growing even closer together after the numerous concerts they have planned no doubt the new Focus is ready for a next chapter in its already well documented life. For sure Focus 9 is already cooking in their little minds, yet for the time being "it feels good to have you back guys!"

More about 8:

Track Listing: Rock & Rio / Tamara's Move / Fretless Love / Hurkey Turkey / De Ti O De Mi / Focus 8 / Sto Ces Raditi Zivota / Neurotika / Brother / Blizu Tebe / Flower Shower

Musicians:
Thijs Van Leer - organ, flute, vocals
Bobby Jacobs - bass
Jan Dumee - guitar, vocals Bert Smaak - drums

Contact:

Discography

In And Out Of Focus (1970)
Moving Waves (1971)
Focus III (1972)
Live At The Rainbow (1973)
Hamburger Concerto (1974)
Mother Focus (1975)
Dutch Masters (1975)
Ship Of Memories (1977/2001)
Focus Con Proby (1978)
Electric Bird (1979)
House Of The King (1983)
Greatest Hits: Moving Waves (1984)
Focus: Jan Akkerman & Thijs Van Leer (1985)
Best Of Focus (1994)
Hocus Pocus: Best Of Focus (1994)
Pass Me Not (1995)
Focus 8 (2002)



FOCUS - 8

FGBG 4472..AR - 2002 -Netherland - 17,1_

What a wonderful story : FOCUS is reuniting against all odds, at the beginning of the Third Millenary ! We haven't heard of this Dutch band since the end of the Seventies and the departure of its famous guitarist Jan AKKERMAN. The only thing we can add is the reunion of the latter and the incredible flautist-keyboardist Thijs Van LEER in 1985. Since, the numerous fans of this international legend of Seventies Progressive Rock could hear nothing else than a deep silence: At the beginning of the year 2002, three young musicians decide to pay tribute to their idol in creating HOCUS POCUS. Such an evocative name ! After having learned their repertoire made of cover versions, drummer Ruben Van ROON (Later replaced by Bert SMAAK), guitarist Jan DUMEE and bassist Bobby JACOBS were courageous enough to invite Thijs Van LEER to a jam session. This one came without any preconceived ideas to spend a good time with some friends, and wasn't prepared for such a devoted attitude towards the original group's spirit. He didn't expect a level of quality this high, either ! The whole was so good that he jumped on the occasion of reforming FOCUS with fresh blood ! And that's exactly what "8" (2002) is about: the opening title "Rock And Rio" brings us thirty years back with "Moving Waves", and its international crazy hit "Hocus Pocus". A versatile Hammond Organ, hard-blues guitar riffs, a voluntary basic rhythm section, a good sense of humour: Without forgetting the famous yodels displayed by the Master of Ceremony ! The rest of the album is pretty much of the same vein, for our great pleasure. No doubt about it, we'll have to count on FOCUS in the future.




Focus - 8 Country of Origin: Netherlands
Format: CD
Record Label: Musea Records
Catalogue #: FGBG 4472.AR
Year of Release: 2002
Time: 63:28
Info: Website
Samples: Website

Tracklist: Rock & Rio (3:27), Tamara's Move (Allegro-Adagio-Allegro) (5:17), Fretless Love (6:08), Hurkey Turkey (4:15), De To O de Mi (6:30), Focus 8 (6:19), Sto Ces Raditi Ostatac Zivota? (5:26), Neurotika (3:47), Brother (5:39), Blizu Tebe (6:38), Flower Shower (Bonus Track) (5:41)

Who would have thought that an album credited to Focus would see the light of day in 2002? Not too many people, though one has to admit that the name is carried by one man alone, Thijs Van Leer. Originally there was talk of a Focus tribute band playing and recording material, though it seems that Van Leer opted to join in and subsequently also lent the name of Focus to the finished material. Technically this is a great album with proficient musicians, though one also has to admit that such a move also exposes all band members and their material to comparisons with any of the material that Focus had recorded in the past.

A limited edition of 500 copies was hurriedly released prior to the band's Whitchurch festival with the same eleven tracks (including the bonus track!) featured on it finding their place on the finalised version. Apart from Thijs Van Leer the new Focus lineup thus features guitarist Jan Dumee, bassist Bobby Jacobs and drummer Bert Smaak. The only member of the band who remotely has some form of connection with the "old" Focus is Bobby Jacobs whose father was bass player and producer on Van Leer's Introspection solo albums.

Admittedly I was slightly hesitant and apprehensive as to what I would find on this album, having heard much of the band's legendary works and being somewhat prejudiced by the name Focus. From the opening number, however, I was pleasantly surprised that even though most of the cogs in the wheel had been changed, the wheel was still turning in the right direction! The introductory Rock & Rio immediately sets the pace with remnants of Hocus Pocus feeding their way through with that characteristic yodel. However what really stands out is the way the band manage to conjure up that ear-friendly backdrop, enriched with strong blues roots in true Focus fashion.

Tamara's Move is the right type of piece that allows Van Leer to step forward with his flute playing. The track itself has a number of folk references and is played out in an acoustic vein with the occasional pause via which the warm sound of the Hammond breaks forth. The same happens on Fretless Love which has classic Focus (Focus II to be precise!) written all over it as Van Leers' flute and organ playing combine beautifully with Dumee's guitar work which has a definite presence and feel. In fact one has to admit that the band on the album have stuck to a formula which seems to work well, though it does at times become slightly repetitive as happens on pieces such as Hurkey Turkey

As I said the presence of Jan Akkerman inevitably hangs over the band, and with pieces such as De To O De Mi and Focus 8, Jan Dumee shows all that he is actually more than capable of playing these intricate parts. Furthermore his contribution within the songwriting department does not go unnoticed. The titles are seemingly Croatian (Sto Ces Raditi Ostatac Zivota? and Blizu Tebe) and of course have the guitar as the main featured instrument. The mood is somewhat more jazzier and placid with a pleasant acoustic backdrop.

The rehearsal take of Neurotika has much in common with Rock & Rio, as well as classic Focus and seems to have been included as a tribute to Ruben Van Roon who was the original drummer and it seems was the mastermind behind the original tribute band. Brother, on the other hand, is not new to the Focus faithful having appeared on the Focus Con Proby and is carried off admirably while Tamara's Move has 1974's Hamburger Concerto written all over it. The light-hearted nature of the recordings as well as the mood within the band is apparent when one listens to the bonus track Flower Shower, an undescribable piece of humorous banter that could have almost been attributed to the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band! Though not a masterpiece, this album is an impressive return to form for the name Focus. The band are touring and might be one of the last chances to hear classical progressive rock music being played by one of the classical greats. Regarding the album, it is a definite worthy addition to anyone's progressive rock collection.

Conclusion: 8 out of 10

Nigel Camilleri