End of JTT-Tour: Zwolle

Friday 28 december was a busy day for Kayak. For the closing of the Journey Through time-tour, they had decided to work together again with the Thomas a Kempis Orchestra from Zwolle, just like they had done in 2008. But they started the day with 'workshops': Kayak members teaching amateur musicians and singers, and preparing the song 'Wintertime' with them. From each workshop, one or more participants were selected to perform 'Wintertime' at the actual concert.

Another extra: there was not only an evening show, but also a matinee. So at 3 pm, the curtain was raised at the big 'Spiegel'-theatre for the first time. The afternoon session was not sold out (after all, it was still a 'normal' working dat for many people), but for the evening almost every seat of the available 950 was sold!

In 2008, the concert was a mix between Kayak-material and orchestral work. This time, it was a fullblown Kayak show, with valuable 'assistance' from the orchestra. It was more or less the usual JTT-setlist, with a slight change here or there. Most striking was the addition of 'Full Circle', a song that -in theory- had been part of the setlist from the beginning of the tour, but was never performed until now.

 

In short: as Edward and Ton had to admit afterwards, it was a day of very hard work for Kayak, with 2 concerts of around 2 and a half hours each, plus the workshops. But band, orchestra and audience had enjoyed a great show, with very good interaction between Kayak and the orchestra. And, oh yes: the amateur singers were only meant to perform 'Wintertime' in the afternoon show. But the song went so well, and was so greatly received by the audience, that they were rewarded a well-deserved second rendition during the evening show.

The Kayak Tribute band...

Won't make this story too long, I am sure you will find the videos and pictures on the Internet. All I want to say: a great and fitting ending to yet another brilliant Kayak year!

Live in Leeuwarden, 22 december 2012

 

At the very last moment, I decided to drive for 2 hours to the city of Leeuwarden, to see Kayak play at 'De Romein'. After 3 JTT-shows in theatres, this was my first one in a rock venue. And a good one it was. De Romein is a nice, intimate hall which always seems to host an appreciative audience. An audience who, by the way, also found the respect to remain quiet during "Passing Cloud" and "Nobody Wins" for example. Good fun for everyone! I hope my amateur pictures tell the story... (click to enlarge)

Earth & Kayak & Fire

Members of Earth & Fire (accompanied by Ekseption-keyboardist Rick van der Linden, with kid on his lap) wave Kayak goodbye as they are about to leave for America, to record Periscope Life. Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam.

The members of Kayak always got along well with another famous Dutch band: Earth & Fire (E&F). That band from the The Hague area started in the late 1960's, and they were famous for their combination of progressive rock albums and high-charting pop singles. They scored several number one hits in Holland, and were famous in other countries too. And they had that lovely singer, Jerney Kaagman...

There are quite a few links between Kayak and E&F. First of all, for some time they had the same producer (Gerrit Jan Leenders) and manager (Frits Hirschland). And in 1981, they released the 'Rallye Monte Carlo'-single together. But Kayak members also contributed to E&F albums, and Ton Scherpenzeel and Johan Slager can even be considered 'real' band members of E&F!

E&F's most successful album "Reality Fills Fantasy" (1979) featured Ton on accordion and, Max, Edward and Johan on backing vocals.The follow-up "Andromeda Girl" (1981) had guest appearances by Edward and Max.

Jerney, Johan and Max at the presentation of "Rainbow's End"

Ton Scherpenzeel officially joined E&F in 1989 and made a big contribution to the CD "Phoenix" and the following tour. A tour, on which they played 'Ruthless Queen' regularly, by the way.

Ton (along with Irene Linders) was also heavily involved in Jerney Kaagman's  solo album "Run". Jerney, on the other hand, contributed vocals to a track on Max Werner's solo album "Rainbow's End".

With Ton

With Johan (Copyright www.earthandfire.nl)

Johan Slager was a vital part of the 'in concert'-lineup of E&F. When guitarist Chris Koerts left E&F because of his studies, Johan joined the band for a Dutch/German tour in 1979/1980.

Thanks to Frank Lieffering

As a tribute to the "Reality Fills Fantasy"-album, Peter Scherpenzeel made a stained glass window of the album's sleeve photo.

(Many of the pictures in this entry are stolen from a great E&F website!)

And look what I found in the attic... A couple of pictures that I took myself. Ton Scherpenzeel in action, at an E&F-concert in Alphen aan den Rijn. I guess it was 1990??? You can also spot singer Jerney Kaagman and guitarist Age Kat.

Re-release 'Phantom' on coloured vinyl

Kayak's most successful album, 'Phantom Of The Night' has been released on vinyl, in three different colours: red, white and blue. The release is part of the 'Dutch Masters On Vinyl'-series, which also features bands like Golden Earring, Earth & Fire and Cuby & The Blizzards.

The white vinyl version seems to have some problems: as far as I know, every 'white' copy has blue and/or red stains...