- Eef Albers -- guitar (replaced Jan Akkerman) (1978)
- Jan Akkerman -- guitar (1969-76)
- Colin Allan -- drums, percussion (replaced 

  Pierre Van der Linden) (1973-76)
- Philip Catherine -- guitar (1978)
- Hans Cleuver -- drums (1969-71)
- Martin Dresden - -bass (1969-73)
- Cyril Havermans -- bass (replaced Martin Dresden) (1971) 
- David Kemper -- drums (replaced Colin Allen) (1975-77 )
- Bert Reuiter -- bass (replaced Cyril  Havermans)(1971-78)
- Pierre Van der Linden -- drums (replaced 

  Hans Cleuver) (1973)
- Thijs Van Lear -- keyboards, flute, percussion
- Bert Ruiter -- bass, percussion (replaced Cyril Havermans)

  (1971-)
- Steve Smith -- drums (replaced David Kemper) (1978)

- Jan Akkerman (solo efforts)
- Jan Akkerman and Kaz Lux
- Brainbox (Jan Akkerman)

- Earth & Fire (Bert Reuiter)
- Cyril Havermans (solo efforts)
- Thijs Van Leer (solo efforts)
- P.J. Proby (solo efforts)
- Stone the Crows (David Allen)

- Trace (Pierre van der Linden)

Genre: progressive

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  In & Out of Focus

Company: Sire

Catalog: SASD-7027

Year: 1971

Country/State: Holland

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: --

Available: 1

GEMM Catalog ID: not yet listed

Price: $10.00

Still music students at the Amsterdam Conservatory, classically trained woodwind player Thijs van Leer, drummer Hans Cleuver and bass player Martin Dresden found themselves supplementing their incomes working as sessions players. Supporting the likes of Dutch stars Cyril Havermans and Robin Lent, by 1969 they'd added former Brainbox guitarist Jan Akkerman to the lineup (see separate entry), paying their bills by backing the Dutch version of Hair. On their own, the lineup's intricate hybrid of classic, jazz and art rock attracted the attention of Polydor Records which subsequently signed them to a recording contract.

Released in 1970, the group's debut "In and Out of Focus" was originally deemed too uncommercial for American release. Accordingly, the set didn't see a domestic release until the following year. Distributed by Sire, the album showcased the band's considerable talents on an interesting collection of extended, largely instrumental jazz and classically influenced pieces (van Leer occasionally adding heavily accented vocals ("Why Dream")). In spite of favorable reviews, material such as the lilting "Focus (Instrumental)" and the cocktail jazzy "Happy Nightmare (Mescaline)" simply proved too ecclectic for most American radio stations. Best of the lot was Akkerman's amazing Jethro Tull impersonation on "House of the King." Sire reissued the album on the heels of the band's subsequent commercial breakthrough.

"In and Out of Focus" track listing:
1.) Focus (Thijs van Leer)
2.) Why Dream (Thijs van Leer - E. Cleuver)
3.) Happy Nightmare (Mescaline) (Thijs van Leer - Martin Dresden - M. Hayes)
4.) Anonymous (Thijs van Leer - Jan Akkerman - Martin Dresden)
5.) Black Beauty (Thijs van Leer - E. Cleuver)

6.) Focus (vocal) (Thijs van Leer - E. Cleuver)

Genre: progressive

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Moving Waves

Company: Sire

Catalog: SASD-7401

Year: 1972

Country/State: Holland

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: --

Available: 1

GEMM Catalog ID: not yet listed

Price: $12.00

Largely on the strength of the fluke top-40 hit "Hocus Pocus," 1971's "Moving Waves" proved the group's biggest American seller. It also stood as their most artistically fulfilling release. Exemplified by the side long (23 minute) "Eruption" the collection offered up a seamless combination of classical, jazz and rock influences. While the entire group was given an opportunity to display technical virtuosity, Akkerman's contributions were particularly noteworthy. Less impressive were the group's stabs at vocal numbers. Exemplified by the title track vocalist van Leer sounded as if he'd overdosed on helium snappets. The group's biggest American hit, the album went gold, hitting # 8. Unfortunately, shortly after the collection's release the group underwent the first of a stream of personnel changes with drummer Cleuver and bassist Dresden leaving. They were quickly replaced by former Akkerman associates Cyril Havermans and Pierre Van der Linden.

"Moving Waves" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Hocus Pocus
2.) Le Clochard
3.) Janis
4.) Moving Waves
5.) Focus II

(side 2)

1.) Eruption
   i.) Orfeus, Answer, Orfeus (Thijs van Leer)
   ii.) Answer, Pupilla (Thijs van Leer)
       Tommy (T. Barlache) 
       Pupilla (Thijs van Leer)
   iii.) Answer (Thijs van Leer)
        The Bridge (Jan Akkerman)
   iv.) Euridice (Thijs van Leer - E. Nobel) 
        Dayglow (Thijs van Leer) 
        Endless Road (Pierre van der Linden)
   v.) Answer Orfeus (Thijs van Leer) 

Euridice (Thijs van Leer - E. Nobel)

Genre: progressive

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Dutch Masters

Company: Sire

Catalog: SASD-7505

Year: 1975

Country/State: Holland

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG

Comments: --

Available: 2

GEMM Catalog ID: not yet listed

Price: $10.00

Ask most American music fans what they know about Focus and the responsible is liable to be a blank look, or if they're over 35 perhaps 'they're the band that did 'Hocus Pocus'.  That's unfortunate since these guys were far more than that one off fluke hit.  For anyone with a passing curiosity this 1975 compilation is a great place to start.  Pulling together 10 tracks from their first three (?) studio sets (and featuring three personnel line-ups) "Dutch Masters" includes the hit (in the original album format and a strange accelerated bonus version) along with an entertaining mixture of some of their better album tracks.  It certainly does a nice job of highlighting the breadth of influences that powered the band during their creating prime - classical, jazz, hard rock and progressive moves (sometimes in one composition).  Hard to pick favorites, but sounding like a Jethro Tull number the Latin flavored 'House of the King' and the Jan Akkerman-powered instrumental 'Sylvia' are worth hearing. 

"Dutch Masters" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Hocus Pocus (instrumental) - 3:18
2.) Focus (instrumental)   (Thijs van Leer) - 9:45
3.) House Of The King (instrumental) - 2:23
4.) Moving Waves - 2:30
5.) Sylvia (instrumental) - 3:32

(side 2)

1.) Focus II (instrumental) - 4:00
2.) Love Remembered (instrumental) - 2:49
3.) Carnival Fugue (instrumental) - 5:59
4.) Focus III (instrumental) - 5:59
5.) Hocus Pocus (Fast Version) (instrumental) - 3:25

 recorded in double time.