Focus are the most internationally celebrated band Dutch progressive rock ever produced — the group that put the Netherlands on the prog map with the yodeling frenzy of “Hocus Pocus” and the wistful beauty of “Sylvia.” Built around two virtuosos, the classically trained keyboardist, flautist and singer Thijs van Leer and the brilliant guitarist Jan Akkerman, Focus fused rock with classical, jazz and folk into something instantly recognisable. Their early-1970s albums remain landmarks of the genre.

The short version

Focus are a Dutch progressive rock band, formed in Amsterdam in 1969 and led from the start by keyboardist, flautist and singer Thijs van Leer. With guitarist Jan Akkerman, they achieved worldwide fame in the early 1970s through the instrumental hits “Hocus Pocus” and “Sylvia” and a run of inventive, classically tinged albums. The selection gathered here spans their classic 1970s peak — from the 1970 debut to 1978 — through to the band’s modern incarnation, still led by van Leer, which continues to record and tour today.

From Amsterdam to the world

Focus grew out of a trio led by Thijs van Leer, a classically schooled organist and flautist, and took its name in late 1969 when the formidable guitarist Jan Akkerman joined. The new band cut its teeth in the pit orchestra of the Dutch production of “Hair.” Their 1970 debut made little impression abroad, but everything changed with “Moving Waves” (1971) and its single “Hocus Pocus” — a breathless, yodel-driven instrumental that became a hit on both sides of the Atlantic and made Focus international stars almost overnight.

A unique blend of rock and classical

What set Focus apart was the chemistry of their two leads. Thijs van Leer brought Hammond organ, classical flute, and an unmistakable voice — whistling, falsetto, and the famous yodel — while Jan Akkerman, voted one of the finest guitarists in the world at the height of the band’s fame, ranged effortlessly from delicate acoustic lines to searing rock leads. Together, underpinned by an agile, jazz-literate rhythm section, they wove rock together with echoes of the Baroque, the Renaissance and jazz — music that could be playful, fiery and profoundly melodic, often all within a single piece.

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The classic albums

Focus reached their peak across a remarkable early-70s run. “Moving Waves” (1971) paired “Hocus Pocus” with the sprawling side-long suite “Eruption.” The double album “Focus 3” (1972) delivered the gorgeous hit “Sylvia” and lengthy, jam-based explorations, while “Hamburger Concerto” (1974) offered their most ambitious symphonic writing in its Brahms-laced title suite. “Mother Focus” (1975) turned toward lighter, jazz-funk territory, and the collaborative “Focus con Proby” (1978), made with singer P.J. Proby, closed the original band’s career.

The modern era

After the original group dissolved in 1978, and following occasional reunions, Thijs van Leer relaunched Focus in 2002 with a new line-up. That revival produced “Focus 8” (2002) and has continued through “Focus X” (2012) and “Focus 11” (2018), with classic-era drummer Pierre van der Linden back behind the kit. More than fifty years on, Focus remain a working band, their recent records returning to the spirit of their 1970s heyday — while “Hocus Pocus” reached a new global audience through a 2010 Nike World Cup commercial.

Album by album

A career-spanning selection of Focus albums, in order. Tap any title to explore.

The players

Focus have always centred on Thijs van Leer — founder, keyboardist, flautist, singer and the one constant across every line-up. Their golden age belonged equally to guitarist Jan Akkerman, whose playing made the band’s name before he left in 1976 for a distinguished solo career. The classic rhythm section paired drummer Pierre van der Linden — who returned to the band in the 2000s and still plays today — with bassist Bert Ruiter, who later joined Earth and Fire; sadly, Ruiter died in 2022. Around them, a long succession of fine musicians has kept Focus alive across the decades.

Where to start

Start with “Moving Waves” (1971), the album that made Focus famous — home to “Hocus Pocus” and the epic “Eruption,” and the perfect distillation of their blend of rock, classical and sheer playfulness. From there, “Focus 3” (1972), home to the hit “Sylvia,” and the ambitious “Hamburger Concerto” (1974) complete the essential trilogy. Three albums that show one of prog’s great bands at the height of their powers.

Why they still matter

Focus matter as the band that gave Dutch progressive rock a global voice, and as one of the genre’s most distinctive and joyful acts anywhere. They proved that virtuosity and humour could share the same stage — that a yodel could top the charts and a flute could rock — and in Thijs van Leer and Jan Akkerman they boasted two of the finest musicians prog ever produced. Their influence runs deep through Dutch music, from Finch to countless others. For anyone exploring progressive rock, Focus are simply essential.

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