JAN AKKERMANN – The Complete Jan Akkerman (26 CDs)
Great news… a 26 CD Jan Akkerman set is being released in July. UK pricing is around £99 but one can easily find Dutch retail sites offering it for 80 Euro or less. Incredible value!
There’s one image available (above) but a lot of muddled or incomplete contents listings online, so I’ve figured out the content myself from the image and various partial listings. The problem is, I get 27 discs – so I’m guessing two of the shorter albums are combined on one CD. Anyway, I’m confident my list below gives the contents.
Wouter Jacobs, who compiled, annotated and and mastered the set in collaboration with Jan, kindly put some background info online elsewhere. Here’s what he said – which makes for exciting reading if you’re an Akkerfan like myself:
‘The booklet will be substantial, yes, to say the least. 66 pages. A biography by yours truly, with several pages of photos from all eras of Jan’s career – including several previously unpublished shots, followed by an album-to-album breakdown, featuring full credits (including never before published facts about who played what on particular albums) and Jan’s own memories about the 23 studio & live albums, taken from recent extended interviews I’ve done with Jan. In addition there’s a cd featuring his personal selection of Focus tracks, with some pre-Focus stuff added (Johnny and His Cellar Rockers, The Hunters and Brainbox) and a cd full of previously unreleased stuff. Such as basic tracks from “Angel Watch” and “Stingray” (both without string and woodwind overdubs!) and the original demo for “Crackers” recorded in the Summer of 1975 with Pierre van der Linden on drums. That particular demo was recorded during rehearsals for the 1975 Japan/Australia tour of Focus for which Pierre temporarily rejoined the band.
‘Regarding the mastering: I have been working for almost a year to transfer the analog 2-track tapes – or digital safety copies in some cases – for most of the albums up to 1993. Expect some flat transfers (as some were very good and did not need to be enhanced – less is more), expect some carefully dynamically remastering on some albums (eg. the 1977 guitar in bed album – which sounds pretty hollow and too bright – I have carefully corrected that), a few needle drops (as some mastertapes have disappeared and/or were untraceable) and for the rarities cd: a variety of sources, from 2-track DAT, cassettes to 2-track analog / 2-track digital.
‘Subsequently all cd-masters were checked and prepared for production by Peter Brussee of QPoint mastering in Hilversum (The Netherlands) – no additional EQ’ing a.o. was done during that final process.
Quelle: TheAfterWord
CD 1 TALENT FOR SALE
Original release: 1968
Bags Groove 2. Revival Of The Cat 3. Moonbeam 4. Mercy Mercy Mercy 5. On The Green Light 6. What’d I Say 7. Slim Jenkin’s Place 8. Hineimatov 9. Green Onions 10. Ode To Billy Joe 11. Comin’ Home Baby
CD 2 PROFILE
Original release: 1972
1. Fresh Air (Must be my land, Wrestling to get out, Back again, The Fight, Fresh Air, Blue Notes For Listening, Water And Skies Are Telling Me, Happy Gabriel) 2. Kemps Jig 3. Etude 4. Blue Boy 5. Andante Sostenuto 6. Maybe Just A Dream 7. Minstrel / Farmers Dance 8. Stick
CD 3 TABERNAKEL
Original release: 1973
1. Britannia by John Dowland 2. Coranto For Mrs. Murcott by Francis Pilkington 3. The Earl Of Derby, His Galliard by John Dowland 4. House Of The King 5. A Galliard by Anthonie Holborne 6. A Galliard
by John Dowland 7. A Pavan by Thomas Morley 8. Jaweh 9. A Fantasy by Laurencini of Rome 10. Lammy (I Am, Asleep, Half Asleep, Awake, She Is, Lammy (We Are), The Last Will And Testament, Amen)
CD 4 ELI Original release: 1976
1. Eli 2. Guardian Angel 3. Tranquillizer 4. Can’t Fake Good Time 5. There He Still Goes 6. Strindberg 7. Wings Of Strings 8. Naked Actress 9. Fairytale
CD 5 JAN AKKERMAN
Original release: 1977
1. Crackers 2. Angel Watch 3. Pavane 4. Streetwalker 5. Skydancer 6. Floatin’ 7. Gate To Europe
CD 6 MEDITATION
Original release: 1977
1. Silmarillion 2. The Offering 3. Blues Blues Blues And Then Some More Blues 4. Under The Bo Tree
CD 7 ARANJUEZ
Original release: 1978
1. Adagio from ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ 2. Nightwings 3. Mondinha (Preludio) 4. Españoleta 5. Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte 6. Love Remembered 7. The Seed Of God (from ‘Magdalena’) 8. Bachinanas Brasileiras No.5
CD 8 LIVE!
Original release: 1978
1. Transitory 2. Skydancer 3. Pavane 4. Crackers 5. Tommy 6. Azimuth
CD 9 JAN AKKERMAN 3
Original release: 1979
1. Stingray (Get Up With That) 2. Wait And See 3. She’s So Divine 4. Funk Me 5. This Is The One 6. Nightprayer 7. Time Out Of Mind
CD 10 TRANSPARENTAL
Original release: 1980
1. Inspiration 2. Apocalypso 3. Concentrate, Don’t Hesitate 4. Transparental 5. I Don’t Take It Much Longer 6. Marsha 7. You’re Not The Type 8. The Party Is Over
CD 11 OIL IN THE FAMILY
Original release: 1981
1. Oil In The Family 2. Formula N-One 3. Disc-O-Asis 4. No Doubt About It 5. Family Reprise 6. Blue In The Shadow
CD 12 PLEASURE POINT
Original release: 1982
1. Valdez 2. Heavy Pleasure 3. Cool In The Shadow 4. Visions Of Blue 5. C.S. 6. Bird Island
BONUS TRACKS (1998):
7. Atlantean Dew 8. Laurie’s Dance 9. Angel Blue 10. Halfway 11. 5 Seconds 12. Waterfalls Of Eden 13. Desiderata 14. Terra Pax?! 15. Guilty By Association 16. Communion & Procession 17. Near Odessa 18. Anne Mia
CD 13 IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU
Original release: 1982
1. Old Tennis Shoes 2. Come Closer 3. Funkology (Baby Start – One Way – Free) 4. It Could Happen To You (Free Together)
CD 14 CAN’T STAND NOISE
Original release: 1983
1. Piétons 2. Everything Must Change 3. Back To The Factory 4. Journey (A Real Elegant Gipsy) 5. Heavy Treasure 6. Just Because 7. Who Knows
BONUS TRACKS (1994):
8. Crackers 9. Burger’s Blues (Intro) 10. Prima Donna 11. Sketches Of Pleasure
CD 15 FROM THE BASEMENT
Original release: 1984
1. Headbanger 2. All Along The Watchtower 3. Dark Rose 4. Wallenberg 5. From The Basement 6. P.C.B. Chicken 7. Status Quo
BONUS TRACKS (1998): ‘The Love Is Uneven Suite’
8. a) She Let Me Do What I Want 9. b) Blues From The Tews 10. c) Cherubim & Sepharim 11. d) She Can’t Say Don’t 12. e) Part 1 – Took Her To Locronan 13. f) Part 2 – Then Rollright Stones (The Tews) 14. g) No More Parking 15. When I Was A Cocktail In A Waitress Bar 16. Ellington’s Way
CD 16 HEARTWARE
Original release: 1987
1. My Pleasure 2. Just Because, So! 3. Lost & Found 4. Heartware 5. Winterborn, Lyric 6. Lonely Street Of Dreams 7. Firenze
BONUS TRACKS (1998):
8. Apollo’s Mask 9. Dancing In Chains (not S.M.) 10. Dompteuse Du Serpent 11. Fire From Heaven 12. Almost Dawn 13. Agony & Ecstasy 14. Akkermani 15. Luxemburger
CD 17 NOISE OF ART
Original release: 1990
1. Trojan Horse 2. You Can’t Keep A Bad Man Up 3. Bonnaville 4. Shame On You 5. Having Fun 6. Prima Donna 7. Prelude: Friends Always 8. Akkerman’s Sombrero 9. My Pleasure 10. Quiet Storm
CD 18 PUCCINI’S CAFÉ
Original release: 1993
1. Burger’s Blues 2. Your Eyes In The Whiskey 3. Spanish Roads 4. Key To The Highway 5. It Comes And Goes 6. Albatross 7. Blue Train 8. Love Is Uneven 9. Puccini’s Cafe
CD 19 BLUES HEARTS
Original release: 1994
1. Wake Up! 2. Blues Route ’94 3. Milestones 4. Red Pool House Blues 5. No Gossip 6. Virgin Mary 6. Traffic Jam 7. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy 8. Soft Focus
CD 20 FOCUS IN TIME
Original release: 1996
1. Home Voyage: Intro 2. Home Voyage: Where Would I Be 3. Home Voyage: I’ll Make It Up To You 4. Home Voyage: Extro 5. Saudade 6. Nail The Snake 7. Après Un Rêve 8. Am I Losing You 9. Wildflower 10.On The Table 11. Elegy 12. Laurie Anne 13. Leading Me There 14. I’ll Find My Own Way Home
CD 21 + 22 10,000 CLOWNS ON A RAINY DAY (Live)
Original release: 1997
Intro (10,000 Clowns) 2. Puccini’s Café 3. Skydancer 4. Eruption 5. Focus 2 6. Pre Madonna 7. Virgin Mary 8. Soft Focus 9. Pedestrians 10. No Hang Ups 11. On The Table 12. Am I Losing You 13. Wake Up 14. Focus 3 15. Weedstalker 16. Akkerstones 17. Pool House 18. Quiet Storm
CD 23 PASSION
Original release: 1999
1. Suite 1 (David’s Harp Song – Wildflower – Across The Bridge – In Amorata – Always – David’s Harp Song) 2. Suite 2 (Monkey – Sweethearts – Close Enough – Central Park – Ab-so-rocking-lutely – D.Jan.Go – Mary) 3. Mon Amour 4. Tranquillizer 5. Classic Gaz / Gate To Europe 6. Fellini’s
Restaurant 7. Passion 8.Countess Of Pembrooks Paradise 9. Muy Linda 10. The Knight Of The Lute 11. Whispering / Liebestraum
CD 24 C.U.
Original release: 2003
1. See You 2. In Between The Sheets 3. I’m In The Mood 4. Dance The Blues Away 5. Cottonbay 6. Kloenk 7. Blowing 8. Slow Man 9. Urbanstring
CD 25 MINOR DETAILS
Original release: 2011
1. Free Wheeling 2. Big Sir 3. Dinner Time 4. Love Train 5. Blind Baby 6. Minor Details 7. Joy 8. Fernando’s Minibar 9. Kharmah Chantalah 10. Searching For Angela 11. As Long As You’re Near 12. San Frisky 13. The Arrogant Frogs 14. Mena Muria
CD 26 SELECTED HUNTERS / BRAINBOX / FOCUS TRACKS
Original release: EXCLUSIVE TO THE BOX
1. Exodus 2. Melody in F Rock 3. Russian Spy And I 4. Down Man 5. Summertime 6. House Of The King 7. Le Clochard 8. Answers? Questions! Questions? Answers! 9. Love Remembered 10. Elspeth Of
Nottingham 11. Hocus Pocus (Live) 12. Out Of Vesuvius 13. Hamburger
CD 27 AKKERARCHIVES
Original release: ECXCLUSIVE TO THE BOX
1. Crackers – demo 2. Angel Watch – demo 3. Azimuth – demo 4. Stingray (Get Up With That) – demo 5. A Family In The Oil 6. Come Closer – demo 7. General Buckshot & The Blues Waffe 8. Yoyo Working 9. Song For The Millennium 10. Plaisir d’Amour 11. Anonymous 4 Blues 12. She’s Gone 13. Payin’ For It Now
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