Jan Akkerman - Tabernakel

Title: Tabernakel Artist: Jan Akkerman Release Date: 1974 Re-Released On: 2/26/2007 Label: Universal Distribution, Wounded Bird Records, Rhino/Elektra UPCs: 4988005459152, 664140703223, 081227456566 Genre: Rock Styles: Jazz Instrument, Guitar Jazz, Art Rock Moods: Complex, Literate, Theatrical, Elaborate, Playful, Quirky Total Copies: 0 Members Wishing: 0 Number of Discs/SwapaCD Credits: 1

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. Javeh
9. A Fantasy by Laurencini of Rome
10. Lammy: I Am/Asleep, Half Asleep, Awake/She Is/Lammy, We Are/Last ...

Year Type Label Catalog # 2007 CD Universal Distribution 1114 2005 CD Rhino/Elektra 2001 CD Wounded Bird Records 7032

No other editions were found for this album.

This album -- which, despite being third in most discographies, was actually Jan Akkerman's first official solo album -- must have been a real shocker to a lot of Focus. Rather than working from the flashy, electric guitar side of the group's sound, Akkerman chose to expand on the lute sound that he'd explored on Focus III's "Elspeth of Nottingham." Tabernakel represented Akkerman at his most formalistic, playing almost entirely in a classical idiom on lute and acoustic and electric guitars (with one brief side trip to the bass). The repertory is drawn largely from 16th century Tudor England, including compositions by John Dowland and Antony Holborne, rearranged by Akkerman and harpsichord virtuoso and scholar George Flynn. He gives one major concession to progressive rock in the form of the fuzz-laden reinterpretation of "House of the King," which misses the flute part from the Focus original but is still worth hearing as a guitar showcase. Tabernakel is otherwise the real article as far as its classicism -- the 14-minute-long "Lammy" comes close to being pretentious without quite crossing the line, and all of the album is a fascinating solo departure for the guitarist. What makes this album doubly intriguing is that apart from Flynn, Akkerman's accompanists come entirely from the rock world: Tim Bogert, Carmine Appice, and veteran r&b drummer Ray Lucas, none of whom seems to skip a beat in their work here. Recorded at Atlantic Records' studios in New York and released in 1974, when Focus was still near the peak of its fame, Tabernakel sold reasonably well at the time, but had been unavailable from the late '70s until 2002, when Wounded Bird Records reissued it in a good-sounding CD edition. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alan Rubin Trumpet Albert Block Flute Alfred Brown Viola Arnold Eidus Violin Carmel Malignaggi Violin Carmine Appice Drums Charles Russo Clarinet Daniel Waitzman Flute David Gahr Photography David Sackson Viola Dominick Gravine Trombone Earl Chapin French Horn Elliott Rosoff Violin Emanuel Vardi Viola Eugene Levine Bass Frederick Buldrini Violin Gene Orloff Violin Gene Paul Engineer Geoffrey Halsam Producer Geoffrey Haslam Producer, Remixing George Flynn Conductor, String Arrangements, Arranger, Harpsichord, Remixing, Piano, Glockenspiel, Adaptation, Flute Arrangement, Keyboards George Koutzen Cello George Ricci Cello Guy Lumia Violin Harold Bennett Flute Harry Cykman Violin James Buffington French Horn Jan Akkerman Guitar, Percussion, Remixing, Adaptation, Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Bass), Arranger, Organ, Guitar (Acoustic), Bass, Lute, Synthesizer Jesse Levy Cello Joel Kerr Engineer Joseph B. Wilder Trumpet Joseph Malignaggi Violin Kathryn Kienke Violin Kermit Moore Cello Lewis Eley Violin Lucien Schmit Cello Norman Carr Violin Norman Seeff Photography, Design Phil Bodner Oboe Raoul Poliakin Violin Ray Alonge French Horn Ray Lucas Drums Richard Maximoff Viola Robert Alexander Trombone Russ Savakus Double Bass Selwart Clarke Viola Seymour Berman Viola Stephen Johns Tuba Tim Bogert Bass, Guitar (Bass) Tony Miranda French Horn Walter Kane Bassoon