Main performing
artists

Focus began their work in the end of the 60´s with Thijs Van Leer (flute,organ), Martin Dresden (bass) and Hans Cleuver (drums). They were invited to support the cast from the Dutch version of HAIR. Afterwards, the first LP was produced, with the addition of guitarist Jan Akkerman.

One of the best and most influential guitarists in the world. Jan Akkerman not only holds this position because of the fact that he was once chosen as best guitarist in the world by UK rock magazine Melody Maker but also because of his ever daring and inventive way of playing his instrument and the urge to develop himself.

Thijs van Leer was born in Amsterdam in 1948. After studying art history at Amsterdam University, he went to the Amsterdam Conservatorium to study flute and composition. In 1969 Thijs van Leer sets up a trio. At the end of the year guitar virtuoso Jan Akkerman joins the band and its name is changed to Focus.

Bert Ruiter (born 26 November 1946, Amsterdam) is a Dutch bass guitarist, record producer, and composer.

Bojoura was discovered by George Kooymans of the Golden Earring in 1967. She made several appearances with the Thijs van Leer trio in the 60's and early 70's.

Brainbox was founded in Amsterdam by Jan Akkerman, Pierre van der Linden, and singer Kazamir (Kaz) Lux.

Candy Dulfer was six years old when she started playing the saxophone. At eleven she made her first recording together with her father Hans Dulfer.

Chris Hinze was born in Hilversum, in the Netherlands. He began his musical studies on the piano at the age of 12. After working as a pianist throughout Europe for several years, he returned to Holland and entered the Royal Conservatory in The Hague to study flutes.

Although unknown to the English-speaking market, Cuby & the Blizzards have been one of Holland's top blues bands since the mid-'60s.

Cyril Havermans was bassist with Focus from late 1970 until September 1971. He played many live concerts with the group and also played on the "Moving Waves" album.

The group Earth and Fire was founded in 1968 in the Hague by the Koerts twins, Chris and Gerard. The band’s early hit singles were distinguished by the heavy use of mellotron. In 1978 Bert Ruiter (ex. Focus) replaces Theo Hurts as bassist in the band.

Ekseption was a Dutch progressive rock ensemble with changing membership, of which the most famous is the late Rick van der Linden.

Forcefield was a studio-only project fronted by guitarist Ray Fenwick. Jan Akkerman joined the band on their second and third album.

Golden Earring is a Dutch Hard rock/pop/Heavy metal band, founded in 1961 in The Hague as the Golden Earrings (the 's' was later dropped). They had international chart success with the songs Eight Miles High in 1969, Radar Love in 1973, and Twilight Zone in 1982. In their home country, they had over 40 hits and made over 30 gold and platinum albums.

At seventeen Hans Dulfer embarked on a musical career that stretches itself to this very day. Many top musicians, including Jan Akkerman have played in one of Dulfer's bands.

After playing piano in Cuby and the Blizzards and several other bands since 1964, Brood started his own group, Hermand Brood and His Wild Romance, in 1977. The band had their first hit single, Saturday Night, in 1978.

The Hunters, featuring Jan Akkerman, released their first single, a cover of the Byrds-song Mr. Tambourine man, i 1965. Their greatest success was the single "The Russian spy and I".

In the autumn 2001 Jan Dumee and drummer Ruben van Roon asked van Leer to play som gigs with the Focus cover band ‘Hocus Pocus Remembering Focus’, which led to the re-launch of Focus.

Dutch pianist and keyboard player Jasper van't has published some seventy albums. He played on several of Jan Akkerman's essential albums, including "Live at Montreaux Jazz Festival" from 1978, and also in the group Pork Pie with Philip Catherine.

After becoming a professional jazz musician in 1961, German pianist Joachim Kühn has for many years been a higly respected performer of European improvised music. Kühn was in the 70's frequently to be heard in duo with Jan Akkerman.

In 1961 the year 15-year-old Jan Akkerman founded Johnny & his Cellar Rockers. Besides Jan and his 8-year-old brother Cocky, the band consisted of Pierre van der Linden on drums.

Kaz Lux was the singer in Jan Akkerman's early band Brainbox. In the 70's he also made two solo albums together with Akkerman.

After her first solo record in 1971, Maggie MacNeal teamed up with Willem Duyn, and the duo became known as Mouth & MacNeal.

Minute By Minute was formed during 1987 by Ray Fenwick and Polle Eduard who had worked together with hit Dutch groups Tee Set and After Tea.

The German composer and bandleader Peter Herbolzheimer has revolutionised European big band music with his own outstanding scores and those of other composers. Both Philip Catherine and Eef Albers have played in Herbolzheimer's orchestras.

On the eve of their UK tour, in February 1976, Jan Akkerman quit the band. Thijs van Leer managed to enrol Philip Catherine for the tour. By the time of the BBC 'In Concert' recording in March 1976 he was fully up to speed.

Pierre van der Linden, born February 19, 1946 in the Netherlands, is a jazz drummer in the vein of his childhood hero Buddy Rich.

Ramses Shaffy has been called a Dutch-Franco-Polish-Russian-Egyptian mixture of Tom Waits and Frank Sinatra. The group Shaffy Chantant is not only the start of his own musical career, but also launches Thijs van Leer.

Rogier van Otterloo was Holland's foremost arranger and composer of the 1970s and 80s and a remarkable musical talent. He arranged and conducted Thijs van Leer's Introspection albums.

Solution were a Dutch symphonic rock band that existed from 1970 to 1983, during which time they released six studio albums and one live album.