Akkerman

Jan Akkerman is a Dutch rock musician who was named Best Guitarist in the World in the 1970s by readers of British Melody Maker. Born in Amsterdam, he learned to play as a child and later studied at the Amsterdam Music Lyceum. With his countryman Thijs van Leer, he formed Focus in 1969 and they had several international hits including 'Hocus Pocus' for which he was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition in 1973. Among his many albums are 'Profile' (1973), 'Jan Akkerman' (1978), 'From the Basement' (1984), 'The Complete Guitarist' (1986), 'Blues Hearts' (1994), 'The Guitar Player' (1996) and 'Golden Years of Dutch Pop Music' (2017). With a range that extends beyond rock to jazz and classical, he has collaborated with artists such as Jack Bruce, Charlie Byrd, Phil Collins, B.B. King and Alan Price.