The 2018 lineup of Focus -— sole original member, leader keyboardist, vocalist, and flautist Thijs van Leer, longtime drummer Pierre van der Linden, guitarist Menno Gootjes, and bassist Udo Pannekeet — are behind the 11-song Focus 11. Slicing through with guitar, drums and organ, pretty much all upfront in the mix all at same the time (and van Leer’s signature flute floating above), the Dutch rock four-piece presents as lively a release as they have ever managed.
Gootjes’ single-note guitar plays off of van der Linden’s popping snare hits on opener “Who’s Calling,” while the band takes off to almost Dixie Dreg-like terrain on “Heaven,” with van Leer coming to the fore in his organ and flute offering with even more provocative drumming from Gootjes.
The word here is that Focus became positively invigorated by a 2010 Nike commercial when the sneaker brand used “Hocus Pocus” (the big Focus yodeling hit) as its main theme in a 2010 FIFA World Cup Commercial. Whatever has kicked things up into high gear for this quartet is working wonders as eight years later they deliver on all levels here — from progressive rock, to fusion and jazz.
The 11th and final number, “Focus 11,” is a good example of the particular type of jazz Focus can mine. Thijs van Leer’s piano intermingling with Gootjes’ clean sailing guitar melody shows off the band’s subtly in mid-tempo interplay, especially during the middle section when van Leer plays flute alongside his own flowing piano line. Focus are surely well focused on Focus 11 as we approach the band’s 50th anniversary. There aren’t enough bands with this much history that sound as fresh and bright as Focus does here.
~ Ralph Greco
