Jan Akkerman | My Focus

Jan Akkerman (born 1946) has been one of the Netherlands' most respected guitarists for 55 years. Alongside his work with internationally renowned bands like Brainbox and Focus, he has collaborated with numerous national and international artists, blending elements of rock, jazz and blues in his own distinctive style.

Akkerman grew up in Amsterdam near the Zuiderkerk and Waterlooplein, picking up the guitar at age five. In his teens, his interest shifted from classical music to rhythm & blues and rock 'n' roll, influenced by the Indo-rock movement. He played in local bands, most notably Johnny & His Cellar Rockers - the group with which he first ventured abroad. In 1964 the band was renamed Johnny and The Hunters, later becoming The Hunters. His track 'The Russian Spy And I' became a minor hit in 1966 and grew into a Dutch pop classic, with his lightning-fast guitar riff marking his definitive breakthrough.

Three years later, he co-founded Brainbox with vocalist Kaz Lux, which he left at the end of 1969 to join Focus. With that band - where he remained for six years - he achieved international success with hits like 'Hocus Pocus' and 'Sylvia', six albums and tours across America, Japan and Australia. In September 1973, British music magazine Melody Maker named him the world's best guitarist, ahead of Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page.

From 1976 onwards, Akkerman performed under his own name and with his Jan Akkerman Band. In 2025, he released the album Live Under The Rainbow with his live band My Focus, featuring live recordings with Marijn van den Berg (drums), David de Marez Oyens (bass) and Coen Molenaar (keyboards).