MOTHER FOCUS

When I bought this album in the 70s, I was as disappointed as many other Focus fans. I loved the excitement and daring of Moving Waves and Hamburger Concerto, and was not prepared for the smooth jazz of Mother Focus.

Now, over four decades later, I find this album to be outstanding early morning music. You know, when you don't need to be assailed by frantic music. By contrast, this album is sprightly, mildly upbeat and easy on the ear, like third stream smooth jazz.

If you want to dig deeper, there's surprising complexity in the detail. It's not just a knock-off album. Looking at Jan Akkerman's subsequent work, it's clear that he wanted to move away from hard rock.

Tracks of most interest to prog fans would be Mother Focus, Bennie Helder and Focus IV.

I give it four stars **** because, for the most part, the music in my collection can blow a listener's head off at twenty paces, so it's nice to have mellow alternatives like this that's are neither pop nor clichéd.