Ekseption 5

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…

In their eight-year existence, Ekseption 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. The group's roots actually go back to 1958 and a Haarlem-based band called the Jokers, formed by Hans Alta (bass), Tim Griek (drums), Rein van den Broek (trumpet), and Huib van Kampen (guitar, saxophone), who specialized in covers of American rock & roll…

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…

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…

The sixties and seventies formed an unprecedentedly successful and productive period in Dutch music history. As a tribute to these glory days, a series of 2CDs of the most influential Dutch bands from these golden years have been released under the title 'The Golden Years of Dutch Pop Music'. On each CD, all original A and B sides of the singles are chronologically collected, where possible supplemented with relevant album tracks.
In their eight-year existence, Ekseption 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.

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 story of EKSEPTION as we know it begins when they won the first prize at the Loosdrecht Jazz Festival in 1968, and they were rewarded with a record contract with Philips….

Although this release is titled 3 originals, this double CD contains the first four albums of EKSEPTION. The band's development is clearly audible, from the first album where they just had embarked on the musical course that would bring them a lot of success, to the fourth album, where they truly had grown into a tight unit performing symphonic rock music, performing their music with an orchestra…