Ekseption
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1958-65) as The Jokers - Hans Alta -- bass - Rein van den Broek (RIP 2015 -- trumpet - Tim Griek (RIP 1988) -- drums, percussion - Huib van Kampen -- guitar, sax
line up 2 (1965-67) as The InCrowd - Hans Alta -- bass - Rein van den Broek (RIP 2015 -- trumpet - Tim Griek (RIP 1988) -- drums, percussion - Huib van Kampen -- guitar, sax
line up 3 (1967) as Ekseption - Hans Alta -- bass - Rein van den Broek (RIP 2015 -- trumpet - Tim Griek (RIP 1988) -- drums, percussion - Huib van Kampen -- guitar, sax NEW - Rob Kruisman (RIP 2023) -- sax NEW - Rick van der Linden (RIP 2006) -- keyboards
line up 4 (1968-69) NEW - Cor Dekker -- bass (replaced Hans Alta) - Rein van den Broek (RIP 2015) -- trumpet NEW - Peter De Leeuwe (RIP 2014) -- drums, percussion (replaced Tim Griek) - Huib van Kampen -- guitar, sax - Rob Kruisman (RIP 2023) -- sax - Rick van der Linden (RIP 2006) -- keyboards
line up 5 (1969-70) - Cor Dekker -- bass (replaced Hans Alta) - Rein van den Broek (RIP 2015 -- trumpet NEW - Michel van Dijk -- vocals - Huib van Kampen -- guitar, sax - Rick van der Linden (RIP 2006) -- keyboards NEW - Dick Remelink (replaced Rob Kruisman) -- sax NEW - Denis Whitbread (aka Dennis Witbraad) -- drums, percussion (replaced Peter De Leeuwe)
line up 6 (1970-73) NEW - Steve Allet (aka Coen Merkelbach) -- vocals (replaced Michel van Dijk) NEW - Peter De Leeuwe (RIP 2014) -- drums, percussion (replaced Dennis Whitebread) - Cor Dekker -- bass - Dick Remelink -- sax - Rick Van Der Linden (RIP 2006) -- keyboards - Rein Van Der Broek (RIP 2015) -- trumpet, flugelhorn
supporting musicians: - Tony Vos -- sax
line up 7 (1973-74) - Steve Allet (aka Coen Merkelbach) -- vocals (replaced Michel van Dijk) - Cor Dekker -- bass - Rick Van Der Linden (RIP 2006) -- keyboards - Rein Van Der Broek (RIP 2015) -- trumpet, flugelhorn NEW - Jan Vennik (RIP 2020) -- sax, flute (replaced Dick Remelink) NEW - Peter Voogt -- drums, percussion (replaced Peter De Leeuwe)
line up 8 (1974-75) - Steve Allet (aka Coen Merkelbach) -- vocals (replaced Michel van Dijk) - Cor Dekker -- bass NEW - Hans Hollestelle (aka Hans Holleway) -- guitar NEW - Hans Jansen (RIP 2023) -- keyboards (replaced Rick Van Der Linden) - Rein Van Der Broek (RIP 2015) -- trumpet, flugelhorn - Jan Vennik (RIP 2020) -- sax, flute - Pieter Voogt -- drums, percussion
line up 9 (1978) - Cor Dekker -- bass - Rein Van Der Broek (RIP 2015) -- trumpet, flugelhorn NEW - Peter De Leeuwe (RIP 2014) -- drums, percussion (replaced Pieter Voogt) NEW - Rick Van Der Linden (RIP 2006) -- keyboards (replaced Hans Jansen) NEW - Dick Remelink -- sax (replaced Jan Vennik)
line up 10 (1981) - Rein Van Der Broek (RIP 2015) -- trumpet, flugelhorn - Rick Van Der Linden (RIP 2006) -- keyboards NEW - Johan Slager -- bass, guitar (replaced Cor Dekker) NEW - Max Werner -- drums, percussion (replaced Peter De Leeuwe) - Dick Remelink -- sax
line up 11 (2003) NEW - Inez van der Linden -- vocals - Rick van der Linden -- keyboards NEW - Mark Inneo -- drums, percussion NEW - Meredith Nelson -- bass NEW - Bob Shields -- guitar NEW - Peter Tong -- keyboards
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- The Dean Alan Set (Steve Allet) - Steve Allet (solo efforts) - The Steve Allet Bunch - Alquin (Michel van Dijk) - The Amstel Octet (Jan Vennik) - Amsterdam (Michel van Dijk) - Antilope (Steve Allet) - Autopilot (Hans Hollestelle) - The Band (Hans Jansen) - Les Baroques (Michel van Dijk) - Beauregarde (Hans Hollestelle) - Bintangs (Rob Kruisman and Peter De Leeuwe) - Blue Forest (Hans Hollestelle) - Brainbox (Michel van Dijk) - Cargo (Dennis Witbraat aka Dennis Whitebread) - Carlsburg (Rob Kruisman) - Cum Laude (Rein Van Der Broek and Rick Van Der Linden) - Dizzy Man's Band (Steve Allet) - Dutch Treat (Hans Hollestelle) - Empty Vessels (Hans Hollestelle) - Galaxy-Lin (Dick Remelink) - Gerritsen En Van Dijk (Michel van Dijk) - Gigantjes (Rob Kruisman) - Ginger Ale (Steve Allet) - Ginmade (Peter De Leeuwe) - The Frank Grasso Big Band (Jan Vennik) - Gruppo Sportivo (Rob Kruisman and Rein Van Der Broek) - HET (Dennis Witbraat aka Dennis Whitebread) - HET Poco Mania ( Dennis Witbraat aka Dennis Whitebread) - The Rob Hoeke Boogie Woogie Quartet (Jan Vennik) - The Rob Hoeke Rhythm and Blues Group (Jan Vennik) - Hans Hollestelle (solo efforts) - The Hottletts (Peter De Leeuwe) - The Jay Jays (Hans Jansen and Jan Vennik) - The Jokers (Rein van den Broek) - Davy Jones and his Pocomania (Dick Remelink) - Marc Klaassen and Michel van Dijk) (Michel van Dijk) - Lion (Peter De Leeuwe) - Lone (Michel van Dijk) - The Marks (Hans Jansen and Jan Vennik) - James Mean (Michel van Dijk) - The Metropole Orchestra (Hans Jansen) - The Michael Mill Singers (Rein Van Der Broek) - Mistral (Rick Van Der Linden) - Jan Molenaar's Big Band (Dick Remelink) - The Motions (Jan Vennik) - Names and Face (Dennis Witbraat aka Dennis Whitebread) - The Occasional Swing Combo (Rick Van Der Linden) - The Original City Machine (Jan Vennik) - Panda (Rob Kruisman) - Rainbow Train (Hans Hollestelle) - Robinson Cruiser (Hans Hollestelle) - Roek's Family (Steve Allet) - Sandy Coast (Hans Hollestelle) - The Selfkick (Peter De Leeuwe) - September (Dennis Witbraat aka Dennis Whitebread) - Session (Rick Van Der Linden) - Slight Ache (Hans Hollestelle) - Spin (Hans Hollestelle, Hans Jansen, Jan Vennik and Rein Van Der Broek) - Swinging Soul Machine (Hans Jansen) - Think Tank (Hans Jansen) - The Torero's (Hans Hollestelle) - The Tower (Hans Jansen) - Trace (Cor Dekker, Peter De Leeuwe and Rick Van Der Linden) - The Rein Van Den Broek Collection (Rein Van Der Broek) - Ricky Van Der Linden (Dick Remelink) - Wild Connection (Rick Van Der Linden) - Wizard's Convention (Rick Van Der Linden) - Los Zooms (Peter De Leeuwe)
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Genre: progressive Rating: 3 stars *** Title: Ekseption 3 Company: Philips Catalog:
6413 007 Country/State: Holland Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: Dutch pressing Available: 1 Catalog ID: 2337 Price: $20.00 |
Hardcore Ekseption fans will yell for my scalp, but I have to say I find most of the band's catalog to be interchangeable and while technically impressive, surprisingly bland. Given the couple of Ekseption albums I own, I just don't find their blend of classical, jazz and rock influences to be particularly original, or all that attractive
Produced
by Tony Vos, 1970's "Ekseption 3" offered up the
band's now patented mix of rocked-up classical covers ('Peace Plant' and 'The Lamplighter')
and band originals that sought to deliver the same set of influences.
There's no doubt these guys were talented - just check out keyboardist
Rick van der Linden simultaneously pounding away on a Hammond and a
harpsichord, or some of bassist Cor Dekker's work, but technical prowess
doesn't necessarily make for
Years went by before I learned the album was intended as a concept piece. Even then the plotline was lost on my ears. As explained by the band: "Our third album is based on the book " Le Petit Prince" by the french author Saint Exupery . We hope that our music will make people aware of how much their way of living differs from the philosophy of this outstanding piece of literature our lyrics , of course , are too brief to express fully the contents of the book but we hope we have managed to capture some of the atmosphere of the story ... " Not the first, or last concept album that left me high and dry.
"Ekseption
3" track listing: 1.) Peace Planet (instrumental) (Johann Sebastian Bach) - 3:32 rating: **** stars About ll I can say is this is an interesting revamp of Bach's 'Badinerie From Suite No 2 In B Minor'. Bach fans are liable to be appalled, but I've always found it to be an interesting cover. The spotlight is clearly on Rick Van Der Linden's multiple keyboards, but the instrumental is really powered by Cor Dekker's pounding bass line. The track was tapped as a single throughout Europe and select other countries:
- 'Peace Planet (Badinerie From Suite No. 2 In B Minor)' b/w 'On Sunday They Will Kill The World (Prelude In C Sharp Minor)' (Philips catalog number 60 12 068)
YouTube has a clip of the band performing the tune on the Dutch TopPop television program: Ekseption - Peace Planet • TopPop (youtube.com) 2.) B 612 (Rick van der Linden - Will Luikinga) - 4:08 rating: ** stars While the melody isn't bad, the ballad 'B 612' has two major strikes against. First off is Steve Allet lumbering lead vocals. At least to my ears his voice isn't very likeable. The other problem is the horn arrangements keep spinning off in Blood, Sweat & Tears directions. Shame they couldn't stick with the conventional melody. For some reason it reminds me of something you might have heard as background music on the Mary Tyler Moore television program. LOL 3.) Morning Rose (Rick van der Linden - Will Luikinga) - 3:04 rating: ** stars I'm a big harpsichord fan so 'Morning Rose' had potential - well until Allet's voice kicked in. Another lumpy and forgettable ballad with some bizarre lyrics. 4.) Piece for Symphonic and Rock Group in A Minor (Rick van der Linden - Will Luikinga) - 5:53 Part One Passacaglia (instrumental) (Rick van der Linden - Will Luikinga) rating: *** stars Featuring the band's horn section, 'Part One Passacaglia' sported one of the album's prettiest melodies and would have made a nice piece of film soundtrack work. Part Two: Painting (instrumental) (Rick van der Linden - Will Luikinga) rating: *** stars While it's hard to know exactly where 'Part Two: Painting' kicked in, I'm guessing it's where Rick van der Linden's barrelhouse piano comes to the front of the arrangement and the tempo speeds up. Not exactly a rock song, but about as close as these guys were going to get. The track also gave drummer Peter De Leeuwe a chance to step forward.
(side 2) 1.) The Lamplighter (instrumental) (Johann Sebastian Bach) - 3:01 rating: *** stars The album's second Bach adaptation, 'The Lamplighter' (aka (Prelude And Fugue In A Minor)') was my choice for the album's standout performance. It would have been even better without Rein Van Der Broek 's jazzy trumpet solo . 2.) Bottle Mind (instrumental) (Rick van der Linden) - 2:45 rating: *** stars With some BS&T horn arrangements, van der Linden's 'Bottle Mind' was probably the album's most mainstream and commercial offering (I'm using the term loosely). 3.) On Saturday They Will Kill the World (Sergey Rachmaninoff - Will Luikinga) - 3:26 rating: *** stars True Will Luikinga added some clunky lyrics to the tune, but I'm not sure why they bothered to re-title Rachmaninoff's 'Prelude In C Sharp Minor.' Once again Allet's heavily accent vocals didn't help the performance. The song also appeared as the "B" side to their 'Peace Plane' 45. 4.) Another History (Rick van der Linden - Michel van Dijk) - 4:27 rating: **** stars Co-written with former Ekseption vocalist Michel van Dijk, 'Another History' was apparently an older number pulled from their older catalog of shelved material. The track bounced all over the musical spectrum, including the album's jazziest section, before Allet launched into Procol Harum ballad territory. It was actually his best performance with van der Linden kicking in some beautiful church organ moves. Gary Brooker would have approved. No idea when or where it was filmed, but YouTube had a live performance of the song at: Ekseption Another History (1970) (youtube.com) 5.) Rondo (Ludwig van Beethoven) - 5:25 rating: *** stars I'll admit I like their arrangement of Beethoven's 'Rondo' aka 'Piano Concert No 3 in C minor Opus 37.' Yeah it's jazzy, but has a nice vibe. Again, there's no information on when and where it was recorded, but YouTube has a live performance at: Ekseption Rondo Piano Concert No 3 in C minor Opus 37 (1970) (youtube.com)
For anyone interested, there's an extensive Ekseption website at: Ekseption - Home
© Scott R. Blackerby September, 2024
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inspirational
music. Add to that, their choice of Steve Allet as lead singer was
problematic. Exemplified by his performances on material like
the ballads 'B 612', 'Morning Rose'
or their remake of
Sergey Rachmaninoff's 'Prelude
In C Sharp Minor" ('On Saturday They Will Kill the World') and to my
ears, his ragged voice dragged down everything it touched. It took a while
for me to figure out who Allet reminded me of - imagine a drunk, Dutch
Jim Morrison. Penned by van der Linden and Dutch radio-presenter Will
Luikinga, tracks like 'Piece for Symphonic and Rock Group in A Minor'
and 'Bottle Mind' were listenable, but nowhere near as impressive as the
classical pieces they played around with. Perhaps
a decent place to start exploring their catalog, but hardly an essential
album in my collection.