# Jan Akkerman: Prog Guitar Legend's Journey from Focus to B.B. King

> Jan Akkerman's guitar career spans decades, blending jazz, classical, and rock with B.B. King.
- Title: Jan Akkerman: Prog Guitar Legend's Journey from Focus to B.B…
- Summary: Jan Akkerman's guitar career spans decades, blending jazz, classical, and rock with B.B. King.
- Keywords: jan akkerman, focus, bb king, prog rock, guitar, jazz, classical music, blues, hocus pocus, sylvia, hamburger concerto, mother focus
- Source: Guitar World — https://guitarworld.com/artists/guitarists/jan-akkerman-focus
- Published: 2026-11-11T19:04:55+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: jan akkerman, focus, bb king, prog rock, guitar, jazz, classical music, blues, hocus pocus, sylvia, hamburger concerto, mother focus
## Jan Akkerman's Early Life
Born in the Netherlands in 1946, Akkerman played accordion through his formative years and studied at Amsterdam Music Lyceum.
## Focus Band Formation
Akkerman formed Focus in the early 1970s, blending jazz, classical, blues, and hard rock into a unique sound.
## Focus II: Moving Waves
Focus II, released in 1971, became a landmark prog rock album with the hit song Hocus Pocus.
## Hocus Pocus Song Origin
Akkerman created Hocus Pocus after listening to the Beatles' White Album and experimenting with yodeling.
## Guitar Gear Evolution
Akkerman used a Gretsch White Falcon, Telecaster, and later a 1954 Les Paul Black Beauty for his recordings.
## B.B. King Collaboration
Akkerman worked with B.B. King, calling it 'learning a new language, one which makes you wiser, though not luckier'.

> Working with a guy like B.B. King was like learning a new language, one which makes you wiser, though not luckier
## Car Accident Recovery
A 1992 car accident left Akkerman with a broken back, requiring over a year of rehabilitation before returning to music.
## Solo Career Highlights
Akkerman released solo albums like Eli and experimented with guitar synths and collaborations with B.B. King.
## Focus Reunion Thoughts
Akkerman stated a Focus reunion is tempting but not necessary, as life involves 'one risk after another'.
## Current Projects
Akkerman is working on a new studio album with no title yet and has two live recordings released.
## Musical Influences
Akkerman was influenced by John Coltrane, Django Reinhardt, and the Beatles' White Album during his early career.
## Guitar Tone Secret
Akkerman's secret for guitar tone is 'purity of sound and balance', using bridge pickup full and neck pickup as volume pot.
## Sylvia Song Creation
Akkerman created Sylvia by adding a second guitar part for a Doppler effect, taking only five minutes to record.
## Eruption Album Impact
The 15-part suite Eruption was a 'liberation' for Akkerman, blending jazz, rock, and classical influences.
## Later Career Experiments
Akkerman added guitar synths and drum machines in the 1980s, creating sounds like a cow's 'moo' on guitar.
## Current Musical Focus
Akkerman continues to create music, emphasizing 'new music is an open field' with no fixed genre.
## Key takeaway

Jan Akkerman, a Dutch guitarist, created influential prog rock with Focus, later collaborating with B.B. King and overcoming a serious injury.