Solution -

Solution was a Dutch jazz-rock-soul band that released the 1971–72 Harvest albums Solution and Divergence, followed by the 1975–77 Rocket titles Cordon Bleu and Fully Interlocking.

Members: Tom Barlage (saxophone, keyboards), Willem Ennes (piano, keyboards), Ad Kooi (bass, 1966-70), Ap “Appie” Alberts (saxophone, 1966), Frits Lagerwerff (trumpet, cornet, 1966-68), Frits Schmidt (drums, 1967), Hans Waterman (drums, percussion, 1967-82), Frank de Graaf (vocals, 1968), Peter van der Sande (vocals, bass, 1970-71), Gus Williams (bass, vocals, 1971-83), Louis de Vries (vocals), Harrie Hardholt (guitar, 1982), Jaap van Eik (vocals, guitar), Arthur Clarck (vocals), Adri Klöne (vocals), Michiel Pos (vocals, guitar, saxophone, flute)

Background

Solution formed in 1969 as an offshoot of The Keys, a Groningen act with keyboardists Tom Barlage and Willem Ennes. They completed their first lineup with singer Peter van der Sande and ex-Cuby + Blizzards drummer Hans Waterman.

Solution

Solution released their self-titled debut album in July 1971 on Catfish. In 1972, Solution appeared abroad on Harvest (UK) and Columbia (France).

The album presents long-form ensemble pieces built around flute-sax exchanges, extended keyboard passages, and paced rhythmic shifts, including the sole vocal number by bassist Peter van der Sande, whose appearance on this album is unique in their catalog.

Saxophonist Tom Barlage, keyboardist Willem Ennes, bassist–vocalist Peter van der Sande, and drummer Hans Waterman recorded five tracks; percussionist Steve Boston appears on “Phases.” Barlage co-wrote the majority of the material. French composer Jacques Ibert provided the basis for “Circus Circumstances.”

Solution’s self-titled debut unfolds as a layered instrumental exploration, anchored by Tom Barlage’s saxophone and flute and Willem Ennes’ keyboards. “Koan” opens with a repeating keyboard-sax motif over driving drums and percussion, alternating between brisk, punchy bursts and calmer, flute-led passages. A brief “Preview” offers a delicate piano interlude before “Phases” stretches over twelve minutes, starting with airy organ textures and restrained percussion that gradually thicken into propulsive ensemble passages, punctuated by brief, sparsely deployed vocals.

“Trane Steps” moves between slow, contemplative builds and denser, multi-instrument interplay, with saxophone and organ weaving angular lines over shifting rhythmic patterns. The closing “Circus Circumstances” begins with a playful, polyrhythmic motif that erupts into frenetic, tightly interlocked bursts from the full band, blending abrupt tempo changes with sudden flurries of sax and piano, before settling into a final, expansive instrumental section.

A1. “Koan” (7:50)
A2. “Preview” (0:51)
A3. “Phases” (12:19)

B1. “Trane Steps” (10:19)
B2. “Circus Circumstances” (7:03) — based on a composition by Jacques Ibert

Across the album, rhythm and tempo shift frequently, passages expand and contract with precision, and the interplay between wind, keys, bass, and percussion drives a dynamic, unpredictable flow throughout.

Sessions occurred on May 17–19, 1971, at Bovema Studio, Heemstede, with producers John Schuursma and Joop Visser and engineers Pierre Geoffroy-Chateau and André Hooning.

Divergence

Solution released their second album, Divergence, in January 1972 on Harvest (Europe, New Zealand) and EMI (UK).

The album expands Solution’s long-form instrumental approach with alternating vocal and instrumental pieces built around shifting tempos, sustained ensemble passages, and recurring motifs tied to themes introduced on their debut. Guus Willemse appears here for the first time as bassist–vocalist, marking the lineup that defined their 1972–75 period.

Saxophonist Tom Barlage and keyboardist Willem Ennes co-wrote all six tracks with bassist–vocalist Guus Willemse and drummer Hans Waterman. Focus later used part of “Divergence” in their “Eruption” suite on Moving Waves, where the section appeared as “Tommy,” named after Barlage.

Divergence opens with “Second Line,” a nine-minute piece that starts with languid, piano-driven phrasing before the rhythm section and saxes inject angular, tightly woven interplay in the final minutes. The title track features a sax-led main line over dense, distorted organ and shifting rhythmic textures, moving through contrasting passages with both intensity and space. “Fever” builds from minimal keyboard washes into airy flute lines paired with sparse electric piano, gradually layering into brighter, flowing passages.

The thirteen-minute “Concentration” juxtaposes mid-tempo, vocal-led sections with extended instrumental stretches, alternating between punchy, syncopated bass and drums and soaring, occasionally dissonant sax and keyboard lines. “Theme” offers a brief, graceful flute interlude that recalls motifs from the preceding track, while “New Dimension” closes the album with steady piano and vocal frameworks, overlaid by tender sax and flute motifs and a constant, subtly distorted organ underpinning the piece.

A1. “Second Line” (8:43)
A2. “Divergence” (5:55)
A3. “Fever” (4:27)

B1. “Concentration” (11:29)
B2. “Theme” (0:42)
B3. “New Dimension” (6:25)

Across the album, piano and keyboards maintain both rhythmic drive and textural variety, sax and flute provide sharp, expressive contours, and bass and drums shift between propulsive energy and refined complexity.

Sessions occurred in 1972 with producer John Schuursma and engineer Pierre Geoffroy-Chateau.

Divergence features cover photography by George van de Wijngaard.

Cordon Bleu

Solution released their third album, Cordon Bleu, on December 2, 1975, on Rocket.

The album tightens Solution’s instrumental focus with extended ensemble pieces framed by concise vocal numbers, all rendered with a brighter, denser studio sound that marked their shift into mid-70s symphonic rock. Guitarist–saxophonist Chiel Pos appears on “Third Line,” “Whirligig,” and “Last Detail,” adding textural contrast to the core quartet.

Keyboardist Willem Ennes co-composed seven tracks with saxophonist Tom Barlage, who-co-wrote “Black Pearl Part 1” with bassist–vocalist Guus Willemse, who in turn wrote “A Song for You” yet inserted that title into the chorus of “Last Detail Part 2,” one of two tracks (along with “Chappaqua”) co-credited to drummer Hans Waterman. Auxiliary saxist Michiel Pos co-authored the album’s lyrics with Frankie Fish.

Cordon Bleu opens with the ten-minute “Chappaqua,” a flowing instrumental that alternates relaxed organ washes with sharp sax motifs, layered over a tight, propulsive rhythm section. The bass and drums articulate complex patterns without ever feeling crowded, while the keyboards shift from gentle Rhodes passages to brighter, airy analog textures. “Third Line Part 1” maintains a subdued, spacious mood with cymbal-driven pacing, giving way to “Third Line Part 2,” where Willemse’s smooth vocals enter amid subtle harmonic layering, punctuated by brief, fluid sax interjections. “A Song for You” leans into a slower, contemplative cadence, with sax lines weaving above restrained keyboard chords.

“Whirligig” moves through cyclical motifs, starting mellow before the tempo lifts and bass and drums interact in syncopated bursts, punctuated by sax and occasional synth accents. “Last Detail” combines structured instrumental passages with a vocal overlay in Part 2, contrasting airy keyboard textures against rhythmically intricate percussion. “Black Pearl” closes the album with short, contrasting sections: Part 1 introduces flute and light keyboard motifs, while Part 2 layers vocals over richer sax phrasing and propulsive rhythms, balancing spaciousness with occasional uptempo drives. Throughout, the album emphasizes clean production, intricate keyboard and sax interplay, and rhythmic precision, blending extended instrumentals with vocal numbers without disrupting flow.

A1. “Chappaqua” (10:35) – Tom, Willem, Hans
A2. “Third Line Part 1” (1:38) – Tom, Willem, Guus
A3. “Third Line Part 2” (5:44) – Tom, Willem, Hans
A4. “A Song for You” (3:55) – Guus

B1. “Whirligig” (9:03) – Tom, Willem, Guus
B2. “Last Detail Part 1” (2:48) – Tom, Willem, Guus
B3. “Last Detail Part 2” (2:43) – Tom, Willem, Hans, Guus
B4. “Black Pearl Part 1” (1:14) – Tom, Guus, Michiel
B5. “Black Pearl Part 2” (5:01) – Tom, Willem

Sessions occurred in 1975 at Rockfield Studios, Wales, with producer Gus Dudgeon and engineers Pat Moran and Phil Dunne; Dudgeon and Steve Holroyd remixed the album at Marquee Studios, London.

Cordon Bleu features sleeve design and photography by Hipgnosis with lettering by Richard Evans.

Rocket promoted the album with “A Song for You” in Europe (b/w an edited “Chappaqua”). “Chappaqua” later appeared as an A-side in select territories (b/w “Whirligig”) and as the B-side to “Give Some More” in 1977/78.

Fully Interlocking

Solution released their fourth album, Fully Interlocking, on October 14, 1977, on Rocket.

The band continues their sax-keyboard interplay on six mid-length pieces that alternate between vocal themes and extended instrumentals. The set marks their second collaboration with producer Gus Dudgeon and retains the quartet lineup that shaped their mid-70s sound.

Singer–bassist Guus Willemse wrote the two vocal pieces and contributed to the four instrumentals developed jointly by the band. “French Melodie” is the sole piece written by keyboardist Tom Barlage, while Willemse authored “Empty Faces” outright.

Fully Interlocking opens with “Give Me Some More,” where bass and drums drive a buoyant, syncopated pace under warm, floating keyboards and restrained vocal lines. Instrumental tracks dominate the album, starting with “Sonic Sea,” which drifts over gentle keyboard washes and angular sax turns, building into subtly layered textures with soft rhythmic pulses. “Carousel” balances floating Fender Rhodes chords with a sudden, intense section where sax bursts, keyboards swell, and bass and drums lock into tight, dynamic interplay, creating a dramatic, romantic peak.

“Empty Faces” features mid-tempo, airy keyboard passages punctuated by concise, lyrical sax phrases, while other instrumentals move between spacious, languid moods and brisk, percussive interludes. Throughout, keyboards provide varied tonal color, sax lines articulate sharp turns and expressive contours, and the rhythm section maintains precise, flexible pacing, giving the album a consistent, polished cohesion from start to finish.

A1. “Give Some More” (5:24)
A2. “Carousel” (7:18)
A3. “Sonic Sea” (7:19)

B1. “Free Inside” (6:20)
B2. “French Melodie” (4:35)
B3. “Empty Faces” (6:32)

Sessions occurred in mid-1977 at The Sol in Cookham with producer Gus Dudgeon and engineer Phil Dunne; Stuart Epps assisted. Ray Cooper plays congas and auxiliary percussion on “Give Some More” and “Free Inside,” and Epps adds backing vocals to “Empty Faces.”

Fully Interlocking features a Hipgnosis sleeve that references the jigsaw-box phrase cited in the album title.

Rocket issued “Give Some More” in Europe, backed with an edit of “Chappaqua.” “Empty Faces” followed with “French Melodie” as the B-side.

It’s Only Just Begun

Solution released their fifth album, It’s Only Just Begun, on March 16, 1980, on CBS.

It’s Only Just Begun balances the band’s symphonic rock foundation with a polished, ensemble-driven approach, incorporating saxes, woodwinds, keyboards, and layered vocals. Five of the seven tracks feature lead vocals, while the two instrumentals showcase extended passages and guest contributions, including Jan Akkerman on guitar. The album emphasizes rhythmic precision, interlocking bass and drums, and airy, textural keyboard and wind interplay.

Tom Barlage contributed flute, saxes, percussion, and keyboards; Willem Ennes performed keyboards and backing vocals; Hans Waterman played drums; and Guus Willemse handled bass and lead vocals. Jan Akkerman appears on guitar for “Logic,” and Nippy Noya adds percussion on multiple tracks.

Guus Willemse wrote two songs, while the remainder were composed collectively, with some tracks co-written by Barlage, Ennes, and Waterman.

The album opens with “On My Own,” featuring interwoven sax and keyboard lines under lively, precise rhythms. “Captain Willie” relies on a spacious instrumental structure with airy keyboard textures. “Mirror (Of Your Life)” develops through layered sax passages and gently propulsive drumming, while “Logic” builds around Akkerman’s guitar and a tight ensemble rhythmic framework. “It Happened in September” presents dynamic keyboard shifts and fluid wind phrases, and the title track layers lead vocals over rhythmic keyboards and sax accents. “100 Words” closes the album with a concise, structured vocal arrangement supported by coordinated instrumentation.

A1. “On My Own” (6:35) — Waterman/Barlage/Ennes/Akkerman
A2. “Captain Willie” (5:30) — Ennes
A3. “Mirror (Of Your Life)” (8:36) — Barlage/Willemse/Ennes
B1. “Logic” (6:40) — Barlage/Ennes; features guitar by Jan Akkerman
B2. “It Happened in September” (6:20) — Willemse/Ennes
B3. “It’s Only Just Begun” (4:50) — Waterman/Barlage/Willemse/Ennes; percussion by Nippy Noya
B4. “100 Words” (4:00) — Willemse

Sessions occurred at Spitsbergen Studio in the Netherlands and mixed at Moonlight Studio in England, produced by Solution with engineering by Phil Dunne, Jan Willem Ludolf, and Maarten DeBoer.

The album charted in the Netherlands on April 5, 1980, reaching No. 12 and remaining for 13 weeks. CBS promoted the title track as a single with an instrumental B-side.

Discography: