Ekseption

Ekseption is a Dutch band that was famous during the late sixties/early seventies for the way it combined themes from classical composers with contemporary rock and jazz in a blend of dominating, virtuoso keys and trumpet plus sax(es).
The band came as close as any group from the European continent ever did to stealing the thunder of early classical rock outfits such as the Nice and rivaling the early work of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. In Holland, they charted singles based on classical compositions and released successful concept albums, and were - along with Focus - the top progressive rock band in the Dutch-speaking world.

As we know, Ekseption was a band leadered by keyboardiste and great Dutch musician Rick van der Linden, and as we know, Ekseption was a band which made instrumental songs, all based in Classical Music, classical pieces converted into rock. After 5 sutdio albums, in 1973 they released their first "The Best of", compillation called "Ekseptional Classics", which has the most well known clasical pieces converted by them into rock, jazz, and symphonic.
There are few own compositions in some albums, but not here. This compilation is entirely instrumental and, of course, if you see the tracklisting, you'll know that chosen themes are masterpieces of classical music. The lower points are some simplicity and the weak percussion section, but -in the other hand- Rick van der Linden is the keyboardist: even if this kind of music isn't your favorite, you must hear mister Rick playing.

After Ekseption split up in the mid seventies, Rick and Rein came together and decided to reunite Ekseption, with the same band members of their fourth and fifth album. The opening track of this album ('Again') is probably the best opening track from Rick ever…

This record has outstanding, clean and expressive rhythmic trumpet arrangements, a bit in the genre of early Frank Zappa (Grand Wazoo, Waka/Jawaka), but more dynamic, funky and rhythmic: it gives an ambience of winners! there are trumpet, saxophone, clarinet and flute, so that these wind instruments take a huge place in the music…

Following the departure of keyboardist and founder Rick van der Linden, the Dutch band Ekseption took a rapid downhill turn under new leader Hans Jansen. Unlike the earlier mix of classics, rock, and jazz, this edition of the band seems absolutely directionless…

The band EKSEPTION started as a Rhythm and Blues band, having their start under some different names for the band since the late fifties (The Incrowd, The Jokers). By the mid sixties the name of the band was changed to EKSEPTION, with trumpet player Rein van der Broek (who died in May of this year) being the only musician who was present in all the recordings that this band released during its existence. They first released three singles between 1966 and 1968 influenced by the Rhythm and Blues music style…