EKSEPTION

The cover you see here is the American cover, which is obviously different from the Dutch, but still released on the same label, Philips. The songs are all the same. To this day, this is the only EKSEPTION album I have, I hadn't got around to getting their other albums to give a real solid opinion of this band. What I do know is the band wasn't known for a steady lineup, and most people lost interest in the band after keyboardist Rick van der Linden left in 1973 to form TRACE. It seems no matter who was in the band, bassist Cor Dekker was the one constant. This was their first album, which consisted of covers of classical (which they were best known for), one original, and more. They do a cover of Beethoven's "Fifth Symphony", entitled "The 5th", which actually became a hit. This is basically a rock version of the famous Beethoven composition, with organ, guitar, bass, drums, and horns. The song starts off with the famous symphony version (sounds like a recording sampled from a real symphony orchestra), but then quickly changes to a rock version. They do a cover of JETHRO TULL's "Dharma For One", which is quite a bit tamer than the original, not so aggressive. They even include the proper, Ian Anderson-like flute where needed (just like the original). "Little X-Plus" is a band original, and a nice piece with some jazz influence and nice use of flute. "Ritual Fire Dance" is a nice number complete with horns, some '60s sounding guitar. They also cover George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue", which is truly the album's high point. There's also Bach's "Air on G String", which is the song that PROCOL HARUM borrowed for their hit "A Whiter Shade of Pale". This of course, is the Bach composition done EKSEPTION style, with harspichord from Rick van der Linden, and horns, and you won't mistake this for Procol Harum.

EKSEPTION is one of those bands that don't have much middle ground, you either dig the band or you don't. It all depends how much you like the idea of a band "rocking the classics". I still think this is much better than what Apollo 100 done (Apollo 100 was a British group who gave us the hit "Joy", which was a pop take on Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", and most of the rest of the stuff they did was rock versions of classical songs, and in my opinion, not as good as what EKSEPTION did).

If you do enjoy the music of EKSEPTION, this is a nice album to own.

I knew Ekseption for the first time was sometime in mid seventies. It was quite obvious at that time that local radio station in my country took the artwork as their icon. So I was then curious to know about the band and finally got the version of this album where I was hooked with the cover of Jethro Tull's "Dharma For One". I was reall satisfied with it and also the fact that the cover The 5th of Beethoven. The music of Ekseption is basically classical based but they successfully managed to blend the elements of jazz-rock into their music. They made the record due to their winning prize of Loosdrecht jazz festival in 1968 where the keyboard player (the famous Rick van der Linden) to make a debut album. Phillips was interested with them and this album was released in 1969.

It was quite strange knowing that once they released this debut, through the single with "The Fifth", the market did not react spontaneously until three months later when this single became a selling item in record stores. On the album Classic in pop (a French album) the song Ritual Firedance is replaced by Adagio and the song Dance macabre opus 40 is replaced by Italian concerto.

Overall, this is a collection of legendary tracks from Ekseption's interpretation of some classic heros plus their own creation "Little x plus". Those of you who want to trace back the 70s music, this should be one of them that you need to have.

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW

The band EKSEPTION started as a Rhythm and Blues band, having their start under some different names for the band since the late fifties (The Incrowd, The Jokers). By the mid sixties the name of the band was changed to EKSEPTION, with trumpet player Rein van der Broek (who died in May of this year) being the only musician who was present in all the recordings that this band released during its existence. They first released three singles between 1966 and 1968 influenced by the Rhythm and Blues music style. It was with the arrival of keyboard player Rick van der Linden in 1968 that the band, also influenced by seeing a concert that THE NICE played in Holland, decided to change their musical style to a musical style with a mixture of influences from Jazz, Rock and Classical Music. They became more famous doing arrangements to Classical Music pieces with all the musical influences that I mentioned before. They also composed some musical pieces (mainly composed by van der Linden), but without doubt they were considered more as arrangers and performers of Classical Music pieces. Van der Linden became the main arranger in this band, sometimes with very good results, until he left the band (or was forced to do it) in late 1973.

This first album from EKSEPTION was recorded in 1968-69. It has several musical arrangements of Classical Music pieces (Beethoven`s 'The Fifth', Khatchaturian`s 'Sabre Dance', J.S. Bach`s 'Air', Falla`s 'Ritual Fire Dance', Gershwin`s 'Rhapsody in Blue', and Saint-Saens`s 'Danse Macabre'). Of all these, I think that the best musical arrangements were done for 'The Fifth', 'Air', 'Ritual Fire Dance' and 'Danse Macabre'. In my opinion, the band (particularly van der Linden) did better arrangements for musical pieces which were composed by J.S. Bach. In fact, they recorded more arrangements for musical pieces composed by J.S. Bach than by any other Classical Music musicians. All the arrangements had some Pop influences to be played in the radio, a thing that maybe was suggested by the producers of their albums and /or their record label. So, some of them ('Sabre Dance', 'The Fifth') sound a bit commercial for my taste.

This album also has 'Dharma', a musical piece previously composed and recorded by JETHRO TULL as 'Dharma for One', which also has some flute playing and a brief drums solo. 'Little x Plus', a musical piece being credited as composed by the band, with some Jazz influences, and 'This Here' and 'Canvas' , both Jazz covers.

In this album the band used a bit of electric guitars, a thing which did not happen again until their last albums from 1974-75. Their next album, 'Beggar Julia`s Time Trip' (1970), also included one musical piece with guitar (an arrangement of Tchaikovsky`s 'Concerto', which also was released in 1969 as the B-side of the 'Air' single), which makes me thing that 'Concerto' was really recorded for their first album but was included in their second album.

As a whole, this album now sounds a bit dated. But the band had very good musicians. The recording and mixing are very good, but also showing a bit the passing of time and the changes in recording technologies.

This album was also later released under the "Classics in Pop" title in France, with "Ritual Fire Dance" being replaced by Albinoni`s "Adagio" (from their second album), and with "Danse Macabre" being replaced by J.S. Bach`s "Italian Concerto" (also from their second album). The cover design is the same, only adding the "Classic in Pop" title to the cover.

Neo-classical, early-enough Dutch Prog maestros Ekseption released their self-titled debut in 1969, housed [I must mention] in a sleeve with art (most/more) suitable for a compilation record representing the era; in a sense the art does hold up, yet feels generic, to say the least (or the nicest?). I've always been impressed with the little I've known from the band (seriously only this debut until a month ago), led by briefly-yet-will-be Trace keyboardist Rick van der Linden. Rick was fundamental to the band's sound and success, I'd firmly say, much like other [(co-)leading] keyboardists of this Proto- and early-Prog era, such as The Nice's Keith Emerson and Uriel/Egg's Dave Stewart (and, to a perhaps lesser extent in usually barely larger Rock ensembles, Mike Pinder of the Moody Blues, Soft Machine's Mike Ratledge, and Clouds' Billy Ritchie). Regardless, with the power of van der Linden, Ekseption's 'backing' ensemble should likewise be considered right on up there, and, here, right from the get-go.

In a truly unabashed, even gutsy manner--looking at it now, it would be suicide to be this basic, honestly haha--Ekseption begins with "The 5th", a rendition of Beethoven's ever famous, known-by-all Symphony No. 5 [Ya know: "Duh duh duh duh..."]. And its first 30 seconds or so is what I can only describe as a seemingly purposefully lo-fi sample of a symphonic recording of the piece, met soon enough and then completely replaced by the rhythm section (Peter de Leeuwe preforms a very Jazz-Rock beat on drums, each downward strike illuminated by Cor Dekker's warm, full bass). Rick's shining organ underlays the horns as they continue this first section (Rob Kruisman on sax, Rein van den Broek on trumpet, likely guitarist Huib van Kampen on tenor), and by the first minute, with the sample totally overshadowed, the favor switches to Rick's acoustic piano. The drums never drop out, leading to a very successful, gripping tension, as the keys are banged and the horns sing solemnly and forthright. I think, despite its now-obvious pitfalls, this is an excellent early-Prog Jazz-Rock tune, set to the tune of an unavoidably classic piece of classical music.

Up next is "Dharma For One", a forward-driving number written by Jethro Tull, naturally led by Kruisman's flute. This is pure Jazz-Rock. Clive Barker, Tull's drummer, co-wrote this piece with Ian Anderson, and boy does it show! We get an extended drum solo from de Leeuwe, and it's a mighty fine one at that. In that, of course, its staying power is only defined by the listener's feeling on the medium of drum solo. Is what it is. I liked it alright, certainly. Then we get the only Ekseption original, "Little x Plus". One of its winningest factors is the flute-backing sound of vibes (uncredited? or is it early keyboards putting in the work?). And then this rhythmic drone from the bass... Wowza. The theme is quite charming. Next is a familiar number, in both title and sonics, Aram Khachaturian's "Sabre Dance" . A playful number, they pull all the stops, utilizing their larger Rock ensemble numbers to their advantage, as horns dance around bright keys. The use of percussion, what sounds like congas, is likewise winning. Really great fun, and a lot less corny than you would expect from a composition such as this. And then Holy Sh*t, the piano solo!!! Yow! Wicked fast and, much like Hot Rats distinguished most certainly and importantly by multi-instrumentalist Mother Ian Underwood, the production of this sounds incredibly modern! It holds up. Big fan. Best thus far [and overall].

As if "The 5th" wasn't enough, they take a page right out of Procol Harum's book with "Air", and like Gary Brooker's inescapable mark on history, the beautiful "A Whiter Shade of Pale", it covers Bach's "Air on the G String". Remarkably still(!), "Air" not only put Ekseption on the charts in the Netherlands, but it hit their #1 spot! In as Baroque-modern a manner as possible, the lead is tenor sax. The piece opens up for a quirky shift into Jazz, and it honestly takes a few seconds, I thought, for the band to catch up to the change haha. The return to a near-straight-on rhythm is far more jarring though. Instrumentally, I think this does have it going on, the rhythm section really carrying the charge forward. It loosens again to a sort of Ringo-drag, which I'm always (all) for. Despite its strengths as mentioned, "Air" is only as 'Good' as its weakest points allow. In a funky, post-Jazz direction, "Ritual Fire Dance" is a rockin' rendition of this title by Spanish composer Manuel de Falla. This feels a bit more like the earlier 'exotic' experiments from this decade's first half.

Coming back to material just as familiar as the greats they've already covered here, George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" follows. And I think they do a fine job of distinguishing themselves on this cover! It's got a ton of energy and spunk. We enter the Bop as van den Broek solos on buzzing trumpet. And we get another win for Team Rhythm, with the drums and the bass just pushing out some wild, wild sh*t. This classical material is really funked up throughout, but just as good an example is "This Here", a composition by Bobby Timmons. Not counting the obvious Jazz-Rock in which we find ourselves in '69, it really does sound likewise early-60s (it's originally off Timmons' 1960 sophomore album). And this is so '60s, and really in the best way. It's got soul and character to spare. Next is "Dance Macabre Opus 40", a bombastic, truly Romantic composition by Camille Saint-Saens. The name is fitting. After its organ-led triumph at the start, the song didn't offer much. They're great players, but they've done that much more just a couple tracks ago. This is also the second time on the album we hear sampling of the original piece, presumably as originally intended. And finally, we get "Canvas", a Rock 'n' Roll number turned a little more Jazzy, originally performed by Brian Bennett, drummer of The Shadows. There are these really cool, tense moments at the song's bookends. I'd recommend, if you're a fan of what you hear here, checking out Bennett's original 1967 recording off Change of Direction. Ekseption is pretty true to the Bennett model.

Seriously, Ekseption is a great debut album, [List Time!] worthy of placement alongside other releases of this neo-classical persuasion and early, eclectic Jazz-Rock, such as Days of Future Passed, Shades of Deep Purple, The Family That Plays Together, Blood[,] Sweat & Tears, Those Who Are About to Die Salute You, Chicago Transit Authority, Hot Rats, Weasels Ripped My Flesh, Emergency! (Tony Williams Lifetime), Third, Emerson[,] Lake & Palmer, The Polite Force, Focus II, and anything out of The Nice's catalog. Tis good. Worth a listen, even if what you may find most appealing differs from me. Enjoy!