00:04

I have seen in several websites dedicated to reviews that Ekseption seems to be underrated. Sometimes it`s hard to define this band as "Progressive", because the sound of their music is a mixture of Classical Music, European Pop Music of the Seventies, Jazz, Rock and sometimes Prog Rock. In this album, these styles are mixed. Ekseption also seems to be remembered because they recorded arrangements of Classical Music pieces, and sometimes they are underrated because they did it. In this album, "Ave Maria" is in this kind of arrangement, with a very good version, which includes a combination of trumpet and sax leading the melody of this piece of music. The rest of the band and the piano and the spinet played by van der Linden are in the background. I like it very much. The other classical piece arranged by van der Linden for the group is "Partita No. 2 in C minor", played on a pipe organ and with a synthesizer, accompanied by the band. The rest of the songs are original pieces composed by van der Linden, and they also are very good. "Choral" has a choir and the music is similar in style to J.S. Bach`s music, with van der Linden using the Pipe Organ . "Picadilly Sweet" has an orchestra (Royal Philarmonic Orchestra) playing along with the band, and here the Jazz music influences are more obvious. Van der Linden uses the Pipe Organ again in this piece of music. Some of the other songs sound in a Jazz-Rock style, sounding sometimes like Pop Music. But the arrangemets (done by van der Linden) are very good, and all the musicians are very good. This was the first of their original albums that I listened to in the late seventies. The other was a compilation of arrangements of classical pieces called "Greatest Hits" (made in France). In the eighties it was easier to find their L.P.s, and I don`t know if they are easy to find now in C.D. I only have seen C.D. compilations of their music.

One of the things many reviewers miss about this album is that is was specifically planned.

At the time of its conception, Phillips Corporation (a Dutch company) was promoting their new recording system (24-track tape, if I recall properly), and they recruited Rik van der Linden and Ekseption as the premier orchestal rock band in the Netherlands at that time.

The combination of Phillips' corporate influence and van der Linden's credentails as a composer gave them access to one of the finest pipe organs in the world, and this album was largely (if not entirely) recorded in a cathedral in Holland. The selection of tracks was dominated by what would demonstrate the capabilities of the recording system rather than those of the band - but in the end, that was not a bad thing.

No matter - this is an album that clearly demonstrates the debt progressive rock owes to classical music, and stands on its own merits.

REALLY: 4,21

"00.04" is a very convincing album that has the better moments in: "Ave Maria", "Partita No 2 In C Minor" and "Picadilly Sweet". The Ekseption build a where more than album the tecnique is the feeling to be in first line. This album is aged well and, to my warning, remains a missed masterpiece.

By 1971 singer Steve Allet had left Ekseption and from this point on the band would more or less switch to a fully instrumental sound.Leader Rick van der Linden would travel to London, UK and record ''Piccadilly sweet'' with the support of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Command Studios.Additional parts played by the rest of the band were recorded as long as the tapes were back to The Netherlands.The fourth album of Ekseption was titled ''00:04'', released in October 1971 on Phillips.

This was yet another convincing mix of Classical Rock with Jazz for Ekseption, side A features some of the sweetest melodies ever produced by the band, always highlighted by a deep Classical background and flavored with spicy, jazzy instrumentals, based on saxes, trumpet and horns.Van der Linden makes another memorable performance, especially lovely are his harsichord parts, but there is some incredible work on Hammond organ and piano to be found as well.The music alternates between a FOCUS-like symphonic grandieur and easy-listening Jazz/Horn Rock with some psychedelic and even Avant-Garde atmospheres thrown in for good measure.The second side is more of the same, ''Choral'' is absolutely great Symphonic/Jazz Rock, the only piece to feature some dramatic choirs, sitting next to the Classical melodies and the loose middle-part with the piano and the trumpet in forefront, ''Partita No. 2 in C Minor'' actually sounds like old LE ORME, with strong use of synths next to a psychedelic rhythm section, showered again by good sax and trumpet plays, but the real deal comes with the 13-min. ''Piccadilly sweet'', this piece is what for this album is known for in the first place.You can't expect something else than Classical-drenched music, often having a cinematic feeling, where Van der Linden is often lost in the storm of the backing orchestral instrumrnts.Closer to contemporary Classical Music than Prog Rock to say the truth, but this is another example of Van der Linden's top Classical education and composing ability.

There is maybe too much Lounge Jazz in here to place this among the peaks of Ekseption's discography.A bit uneven on the way with straight Classical and Jazz parts, but also containing some monumental symphonic movements.Recommended overall.