Post Description

Jan Akkerman - Blues Hearts (1994)

Info:
Artist: Jan Akkerman
Genre: Blues, Jazz Rock
Label: EMI 
Release: 1994 
Format: FLAC (lossless) en Mp3 (320kbps). Je kunt zelf kiezen.
Grootte FLAC: 306Mb en grootte Mp3: 100Mb
Speelduur: 43:48
Covers: Back, 2 booklets, CD-label, front en inside

Jan Akkerman was born on Christmas Eve 1946 and first picked up a guitar aged 5. Legend has it that he played accordian aged 3, and was entirely self-taught on the guitar, but in actual fact he took classical guitar lessons, studied at Amsterdam Music Lyceum for 5 years and won a scholarship. His father was a guitarist, and his mother played the accordian.
He took a keen interest in group music-making, joining local bands The Friendship Sextet and The Shaking Hearts. In 1961, aged 15, he recorded his first single with his current band, Johnny & The Cellar Rockers, which also featured Pierre Van der Linden. The Cellar Rockers became the Hunters, and the first hit was scored with a cover of "Mr Tambourine Man", but an even bigger hit came from an original song called "The Russian Spy and I", inspired largely by the Shadows, but with a notable guitar solo from Akkerman.
During the mid 1960s, Akkerman visited England, where he saw the guitarist Julian Bream performing Mediaeval lute music. This was an inspiration that was never to leave Akkerman.
In the late 1960s, he formed Brainbox, with his old friend Pierre van der Linden on drums, who negotiated a signing to Parlophone. During a recording session, Akkerman, who was fond of jamming and session playing, hooked up with the embryo Focus, and was ejected from Brainbox as a result. Brainbox's first (and only) album is regarded as a Dutch Prog Rock classic in some circles.
Not to be deterred, he recorded his own material, assisted by his friends from The Hunters; a solo album called "Talents for Sale", and joined Focus for recording the backing music to the musical "Hair", and their debut album "In And Out Of Focus".

Personnel:

Jan Akkerman - Guitar
Ton Dijkman - Percussion & Drums
Manuel Hugas - Bass
Tom Salisbury - Keyboards
The Stylus Horns - Horns

Tracklist:

01. Wake Up!
02. Blues Route'94
03. Milestones
04. Red Pool House Blues
05. No Gossip
06. Virgin Mary
07. Traffic Jam
08. Mercy Mercy Mercy
09. Soft Focus