HAMBURGER CONCERTO

Hamburger Concerto is one of these albums that seduces you at the first listening, leaving you with the sensation that you want to listen to much more in the likes of the tunes you just heard. The Album deviates a bit from the "normal" Focus since the classical incorporated elements are predominant. Pipe Organs, and Mellotrons together with the usual Hammond tunes played in classic form makes the superb soundscapes for Akkermans guitar, Colins drumming and Reites usual bass lines. Focus normally played on a more jazz like harmony and gained fans all over the world with Moving Waves (72), Focus III (73) and the legendary Live At The Rainbow (73) albums being "Sylvia" and "Hocus Pocus" the most known tunes from this fantastic Dutch band. The various moods, from pure classical to hard rock moving back and forth make this Focus recording a landmark by itself. I had the honor to se Thjis van Leer last year playing these great Focus tunes, 30 years later, but with the same entusiasm as always, and with a band that stands up to any oldtime die-hard fan. Hamburger Concerto is by all means an item to have in a progressive rock collection.