JAN AKKERMAN

Jan Akkerman

One of the best and most influential guitarists in the world. Jan Akkerman not only holds this position because of the fact that he was once chosen as best guitarist in the world by UK rock magazine Melody Maker but also because of his ever daring and inventive way of ...
Full biography

Instruments

gitaar, luit

Former members

Jeroen Rietbergen   toetsinstrumenten
Marijn van den Berg   drums
Hans Waterman   drums
Michael Peet   basgitaar
Wilbrand Meischke   contrabas
Coen Molenaar   toetsinstrumenten
Manuel Hugas   basgitaar
Nico Brandsen   orgel
Ton Dijkman   drums
Lesley Joseph   basgitaar
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Mentioned in the biography of

1959   Big John Russell
1961   Johnny & His Cellar Rockers
1964   Karin Kent
1968   Hans Dulfer
1968   Kaz Lux
1968   The Hunters
1969   Neerlands Hoop
1970   Michiel Hoogenboezem
1970   Ramses Shaffy
1972   Freddie Cavalli
1974   Ton Dijkman
1975   Herman Brood
1976   Jasper van 't Hof
1976   Kaz Lux
1976   Tielman Brothers
1977   Kayak
1978   Finch
1978   Jasper van 't Hof
1978   Laurens van Rooyen
1978   Samba Salad
1980   Solution
1981   Eddie Conard
1983   David de Marez Oyens
1984   Thijs van Leer
1985   Kaz Lux
1986   Julya Lo'ko
1987   Normaal
1989   André Hazes
1991   Erica Yong
1992   Bmaster
1992   Maggie MacNeal
1993   Manuel Hugas
1994   Patrick Mühren
1994   The Cats
1995   Bill van Dijk
1995   Coen Bais
1995   Edsel Juliet
1996   Nico Brandsen
1996   Rocq-e Harrell
1997   Ro & Paradise Funk
1999   Eric Vaarzon Morel
1999   Jeroen Rietbergen
1999   Sylvia Houtzager
1999   The Hunters
1999   Wilbrand Meischke
2000   Arthur Bont
2002   Nico van der Linden
2003   Michel van Schie
2003   Soulvation
2005   Specs Hildebrand
2006   Bert Heerink
2006   Evert Nieuwstede
2006   Laura Vlasblom
2006   Ruben Hoeke Band
2007   Chiel Meijering
2008   King MO
2009   Ruben Hoeke Band
2009   Zoumana Diarra
2012   Bert Heerink
2013   Henny Vrienten
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Biography Jan Akkerman

One of the best and most influential guitarists in the world. Jan Akkerman not only holds this position because of the fact that he was once chosen as best guitarist in the world by UK rock magazine Melody Maker but also because of his ever daring and inventive way of playing his instrument and the urge to develop himself. The albums he has released, not only as a solo act but also with his bands Johnny & the Cellar Rockers, the Hunters, Brainbox and Focus, underline this.

Played in

Brainbox   gitaar
Five Great Guitars   gitaar
Focus   gitaar, luit
Johnny & His Cellar Rockers   gitaar
Solution   gitaar
The Hunters   gitaar

1946 - 1960

Jan Akkerman is born on December 24, 1946 in Amsterdam. He starts taking classical guitar lessons at the age of five. Soon after that he forms his first bands.

1961

With his band Johnny & the Cellar Rockers Akkerman records his first single: Melody In F Rock/Exodus. He starts working as a session musician for people like Aart Brouwer and Karin Kent. In the meantime, Johnny & the Cellar Rockers (with Pierre van der Linden on drums) keep recording new songs.

Johnny & His Cellar Rockers

1965

Akkerman scores his first hit with his band the Hunters: A cover of the Bob Dylan song Mr. Tambourine Man.

The Hunters

1966

Akkerman becomes legendary when playing a fabulous guitar lick on the Hunters' track Russian Spy And I.

The Hunters

1968

The Hunters fail to score any more hits and Jan records his first solo album Talent For Sale. For the larger part the albums contains covers of soul and R&B tracks.

The Hunters

1969 - 1970

Akkerman forms Brainbox. Singer of this band is Kaz Lux. Akkerman's career in Brainbox is short-lived, however: He leaves the within in a year. According to Akkerman the band's manager has kicked him out. Next he joins the Thijs van Leer Trio, which later will become supergroup Focus. Initially the trio acts as backing group in the musical Hair. Following that the threesome records a single with cabaret duo Neerlands Hoop and some tracks with pop singer Bojoura. Their full-length debut comes with the release of the album In And Out Of Focus. Although the track House Of The King becomes a hit, the album sounds very differently from the music with which Focus will become famous.

Bojoura Brainbox Focus Neerlands Hoop Thijs van Leer Trio

1971

Some severe measures have to be taken in order to achieve international fame: Drummer Hans Cleuver is kicked out of the band and is replaced by Pierre van der Linden (ex-Brainbox) and Martin Dresden is replaced by Cyril Havermans. With this line-up the band records its second album, Focus. The album not only contains the track Eruption (which takes up one entire side of the album), but also the chart topper Hocus Pocus.

Brainbox Cyril Havermans Focus Hans Cleuver Martin Dresden Pierre van der Linden

1972 - 1973

The innovative musical style brings Focus international success. But Akkerman also records several solo albums. On the first album, Profile, he gets help from his Focus collegues Pierre van der Linden and Bert Ruiter. The second album, Tabernakel, is recorded with the American rhythm section of Carmine Appice and Tim Bogart. Akkerman also causes great uproar when walking off stage during the Grand Gala Du Disque event, at the time the most prominent awards show domestically. His comment: 'People were talking through my music.'

Bert Ruiter Focus Pierre van der Linden

1974 - 1976

The (international) success and the pressures that go with it put their mark on the band's line-up. Drummers come and go and the relationship between Akkerman and Van Leer has reached its lowest point. Akkerman then decides to leave the band. He records the album Eli with former Brainbox singer Kaz Lux. Eli is one of the few examples in the history of pop music that good reviews and good sales sometimes do go together very well.

Focus Kaz Lux

1977

A UK tour with Kaz Lux ends up fairly disastrous because the crowd, not familiar with the album Eli, doesn't take too kindly to Lux. For Akkerman this is cause to step out of the spotlight and settle himself in the province of Friesland, in the north of the Netherlands.

1978 - 1979

The high recording costs, Akkerman often makes use of entire orchestras on his albums, and the relatively bad sales of the albums, make record company Atlantic decide to terminate Akkerman's contract.

1981

Akkerman records the album Oil In The Family. The album is based upon an Arabic concept, supplemented with disco rhythms. The album enters the album charts, but Akkerman's rock fans are disappointed.

Willem van Kooten

1982 - 1984

The search for new styles and a new fan base has started. Akkerman experiments with guitar synthesizers and computers and always manages to find a record company that is wiling to release one of his albums. On From The Basement Akkerman's rock roots slowly re-surface.

1985

Time for a Focus reunion. Well, sort of. Akkerman and Thijs van Leer record a new album and also perform together, but not for long, however, because they still can't stand the sight of each other. After only one album and a couple of gigs the reunion is called off.

Focus Thijs van Leer

1986 - 1987

Akkerman performs on a regular basis accompanied by drummer Ton Dijkman and bassist Michael Peet. Akkerman's self-released album Skydancer comes out.

Michael Peet

1989

Sting manager Miles Copeland asks Akkerman to join his Night Of The Guitar tour. The invitation also results in the album Noise Of Art, which is released on a sub label of Copeland's IRS label that specializes in instrumental rock music. The album brings Akkerman back into the album charts.

1990 - 1991

Akkerman works as a session musician for people like André Hazes and B.B. Queen. He also performs again with Focus.

André Hazes B.B. Queen Focus

1992

Jan is seriously injured in a car accident. He is bedridden for months.

1993

Exactly one year after the accident Akkerman gets married. He also releases the album Puccini's Café, which is reasonably successful. In the memory of concert promoter Paul Acket, Akkerman and Van Leer perform together one more time at the North Sea Jazz Festival.

Thijs van Leer

1994 - 1998

The CD Blues Hearts is released, but without much success. Live, however, Akkerman still tops the bill. He releases the live album 10.000 Clowns On A Rainy Day. Several compilation albums with old material come out.

The Stylus Horns

1999

Akkerman concentrates on playing in theatres accompanied by double bass player Wilbrand Meischker and bassist Manuel Hugas. The album Passion consists of acoustic improvisations, which are recorded during the soundchecks of his concerts. The album receives positive reviews. Akkerman also takes part in Five Great Guitars, a project with fellow guitarists Jan Kuiper, Eric Vaarzon Morel, Leonardo Amuedo and the Groningen Gitaarduo.

Eric Vaarzon Morel Leonardo Amuedo

2000

Akkerman tours the country with Ton Dijkman (drums) and Wilbrand Meischker (double bass).

Wilbrand Meischke

2001

In May Akkerman travels to the UK for several concerts. In June he is special guest at a BB King concert in the Netherlands. Early July he records some material with Paul Michiels in Antwerp, Belgium. He starts writing a column for magazine Gitaar ('Guitar') Plus and in November his Dutch Jazzah Tour kicks off.

2002

The album Jazzah featuring drummer Ton Dijkman is released.

2003

Jeroen Rietbergen, Michel van Schie en Ronald Molendijk from Soulvation produce Jan Akkerman's new album. In July Akkerman goes to the US for his first tour in 28 years. The CD and DVD C.U. are released in October and include concerts, which were recorded in Germany.

Soulvation

2004

The book 'In & Out Of Focus: The Music Of Jan Akkerman' is an unauthorised biography by British writer David Randall. Akkerman's son Waling studies computer/DJ at Leeuwarden-based Academy for Pop Culture.

2005

On February 16 Jan Akkerman wins a Golden Harp at the Harpen Gala in Bussum. Akkerman and band perform at the North Sea Jazz festival in The Hague. In October he kicks off his Dutch theatre tour Fromage à Trois, a tribute to Django Reinhardt and his Hot Club De France.

2006

From January 16 Akkerman guest stars in the Queen In Concert tour which also includes singer Bert Heerink (ex-Vandenberg). The guitarist plays on two tracks on the album It's Alright by blues band Phil Bee and The Buzztones. Film director Hans Hylkema works the entire year on an Akkerman documentary. Amongst others he films a guest appearance of Akkerman at a New Cool Collective Big Band show. As of December 2006 Akkerman embarks on a theatre tour, dubbed Live In Concert. He picks out of his wide repertoire, including ballads, blues, rock and swing. Bassist Wilbrand Meischke, keyboardist Coen Molenaar and drummer Marijn van den Berg accompany him.

Bert Heerink

2007

On Sunday April 15 pubcaster NPS broadcasts Hans Hylkema's documentary Jan Akkerman: Portret Met Gitaar uit ('Portrait with the guitar switched off'). The guitarist plays various times in the UK this year: in May with his own band, and in July supporting Gareth Pearson. In August he's at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and in October at the Ullapool Guitar Festival. On 29 September, Jan Akkerman plays a prominent role during the world premiere of The Wave by composer Chiel Meijering. 150 guitarists, several percussionists and 10 music schools from all over the Netherlands take part in the event. Akkerman contributes to the first solo album of keyboard player Frank Baijens (ex-Double Grant), called Odd Man Out.

Frank Baijens

2008

In June, a recording of Akkerman's show at The Hague Jazz in 2007 is released on CD, LP and DVD and is called Jan Akkerman Live In Concert The Hague 2007.

2009

In January there is another edition of Five Great Guitars with Jan Akkerman as special guest. He shares the stage with guitarists Jan Kuiper (also initiator of the project), Digmon Roovers, Erwin Java, Zoumana 'Zou' Diarra from Mali and Muriel Anderson uit Illinois. After two try-outs, the tour kicks off on 16 January and finishes on 15 March. On 11 April 2009 Jan Akkerman receives the Eddy Christiani Award for his virtuosity, versatility and urge for innovation.

Photos Jan Akkerman

Audio/Video Jan Akkerman

Video Jan Akkerman