Ton Scherpenzeel on Silhouette CD

In november 2014, Dutch prog band Silhouette released their album "Beyond The Seventh Wave". Ton Scherpenzeel is credited as a guest, playing Moog synthesizer.

Last year, Silhouette singer and guitarist Brian de Graeve was a guest on Ton's solo album "The Lion's Dream". 

Edward with Tom Parker

In 1990, Edward Reekers was one of the singers in "The Commandments", a successful project of composer, producer, arranger and conductor Tom Parker. Edward was joined by his colleagues Anita Meyer, Rob de Nijs and Amy Vanmeenen. A CD was released, and quite a few TV-performances were given.

Three singles were released featuring Edward's vocals: 'Loving Only You', 'Take Me Home' and 'Sunday, Sunday'.

In Germany, Tom Parker released another CD with Edward as a singer. As a member of the 'European Sound Project', Edward sang 6 songs on the album "Das Europäische Wunschkonzert". Edward sang on Gefühle Der Nacht, Sailing, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Morgen, Michelle and Mull Of Kintyre.

For the Dutch market, the record company simply put a sticker -not in a very professional way- over the front of the booklet, changing the name 'European Sound Project' into 'Tom Parker'...

On YouTube you can find a clip of a performance on German television.

Ton (and many others) on 'Charles Darwin'

If memory serves me right, I think Ton Scherpenzeel already said something about it back in 2010, but the actual album was released in 2012: 'Charles Darwin' by French outfit XII Alfonso. This 3-CD album about... indeed, Charles Darwin features Ton on keyboards in the track 'Mysterious Illness'.

To call the Darwin-project ambitious would be an understatement; the sax in 'Mysterious Illness' is played by John Helliwell, of Supertramp-fame. But Ton and John are just two of an impressive list of guest artists. To give you an impression:

Maggie Reilly (singer with Mike Oldfield), Tim Renwick (Pink Floyd 'in concert'-guitarist), Mickey Simmonds (Fish a.o.), Ian Bairnson (guitar) and David Paton (bass) from The Alan Parsons Project, and Francis Dunnery (ex- It Bites). And many more... Not bad, eh?

Protest song...

In 2003, Dutch comedian Harrie Jekkers wrote a song against the Government of Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende. The singer was Peter Groot Kormelink, and Ton Scherpenzeel played "all instruments". Probably, it was keyboards only, trying to sound like a fanfare orchestra. Ton doesn't see this recording as a highlight in his career. In fact he sort of wiped it from his memory. Having just bought and played the single, I can understand why...

Dutch/American singer Lori Spee released her album "One Step" in 1986. The album has 10 songs, and the "Kayak-connection" is that it was co-produced by Gerrit Jan Leenders. And oh yes, every now and then an ex-Kayakmember appears:

1. One Step: Pim Koopman (drums, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, co-produced, co-arranged), Max Werner (co-arranged), Ton Scherpenzeel (keyboards)

2. The Chain: Johan Slager (guitar), Max (drums, percussion, backing vocals, arranged), Ton (keyboards)

3. Reduced To Tears: Pim (drums, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, co-produced, co-arranged), Ton (keyboards), Max (co-arranged)

4. Win Or Lose: Max (drums, co-arranged)

5. As Heroes: Max (drums, percussion, arranged), Ton (keyboards)

6. Two Fools In Love: Max (drums, percussion, backing vocals, arranged), Ton (keyboards)

7. Halfway: Max (drums), Ton (keyboards), Edward Reekers (backing vocals)

8. Enlightened: Max (drums, percussion, co-arranged), Ton (keyboards)

9. These Things Happen: Max (drums, percussion, arranged) Ton (keyboards)

10. Those Faces: Max (drums, percussion, co-arranged), Ton (keyboards)

Edward Reekers

Don't ever think that you have collected each and every note that Edward Reekers ever recorded. His voice can be heard on Kayak's and his own albums. But you can also hear him on many other people's songs, in cartoons, jingles, commercials, etc.. Impossible as it is to give you a complete overview, here are some rarities in which Edward was in some way involved...

In 1981, Dutch band Swan had Edward as one of the two lead singers (the other one was a girl called Joan Clauson). Also in this band: Okkie Huysdens, who worked with Pim Koopman in The President. As far as I know, Swan released only one LP: From Swan With Love.


In 2003, Edward worked on a CD that was a bonus with a Dutch Book: "The Brendan Notes" by Rob van der Linden and Gert Jan Sterk. Edward can be heard in 4 of the 18 tracks on the CD.



In 1991, Edward sang a duet with Sandra Reemer: 'Listen To The Flowers' was the title track of a CD which was dedicated to the "Floriade" flower exhibition.


Edward often lent his voice to commercials. Flowers, chocolates, sweets, you name it. In Germany, the Langnese company hired him to do a commercial for their icecream. The song "So Schmeckt Der Sommer" was released as a single in 2005, and even became a hit in Germany. The CD-single also has an English version: "The Taste Of Summer". Inspired by the success, they recorded a winter-version in 2006: "So Schmilzt Der Winter".


The series "Luister En Leer" ("Listen And Learn") was meant for children in the age of 3-6 years. With themes such as 'wild animals', 'the farm' and 'pets', the simple songs and stories tought them about animals, but also helped them with counting. Edward was the producer of the voices on the CD's, and sang the songs together with Gaby Kaihatu.


Tiger: I Can't Stop Loving You (single, 1982, written by Edward)


Maribelle: Ik Hou Van Jou / Maar Vanavond (single, 1984, b-side written by Edward)

The Cats: I'll Find My Way Back To You (single b-side, 1985, co-written by Edward)

TO BE CONTINUED...

Diesel

One of Pim Koopman's first projects after leaving Kayak, was Diesel. In Diesel, Pim wrote and arranged songs, played various instruments, and was their producer and arranger. Of course, one other member of Diesel was Rob Vunderink. Pim and Rob had already worked together as Concrete, and in later years, Rob would join Kayak.

Diesel's first album, "Watts In A Tank" was an unexpected success in Italy, Canada and the USA. The single "Sausalito Summernight" made it to nr. 1 in the Canadian charts, and also reached the USA top 50. Other singles like "Down In The Silvermine" and "Goin' Back To China" were hits in Holland.

Pim Koopman left just after the release of the debut album (and before a real USA-tour!). Diesel released a second album ("Unleaded"), but the members of the band would rather forget about that one. Diesel members came and went, and in later years they only released some non-album singles, with Pim involved every now and then. And a line-up with Pim and Rob played live on some occasions in 2007.

On http://www.dieselonline.nl/ you can find the complete story of Diesel!