Ten Sharp is a Dutch band best known for its early 1990s hit song "You", a hit in some European countries in 1991 and in others (such as the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number 10) in 1992. The two band members are Marcel Kapteijn (vocals) and Niels Hermes (keyboards).
After You
None of the singles that followed could match the success of 'You', let alone exceed it. That proved to be virtually impossible, but the duo had no regrets. They were already away from home enough to promote the success of the supersingle. The result can be found on the second CD 'The Fire Inside', which was released 1993. One example is 'Rumours in the City', in which they established their experiences after visits to Argentina. The single 'Dreamhome' made it to the charts in the Netherlands and proved all the more that Ten Sharp was not of passing interest.
There was great demand for live shows. In 1994 and 1995, Hermes, Kapteijn and Groen went on tour with four additional conservatory musicians: first along the theatres, later to major festivals such as the World Liberty Concert in Arnhem, Parkpop in The Hague or the Uitmarkt in Amsterdam. The cooperation was so successful that it was decided to record the third CD with the entire band.
Shop of Memories
The CD 'Shop of Memories' brings what the title suggests: musical influences are incorporated in their own polished, mature songs. Ten Sharp developed into a pure album group, with the addition of: Bennie Top on drums, Ton Groen on bass, Nick Bult on keyboard, Hubert Heeringa on saxophone, violin and magic horn and Yelle Sieswerda on guitar. When they were asked for the first show of the Marlboro Flashback Tour in 1996, it blended well with the course they had set. The group was requested to play tracks from their heroes, their major influences. The series of concerts, in which the trio and their musicians played songs from groups such as The Eagles, Steely Dan, Crowded House, Hall & Oates, E.L.O., Steve Miller, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, was a resounding success. To record the moment for posterity, Roots Live was recorded during the tour.
Best of …
The two years that followed were spent on the Roots promotional tour, a second Flashback tour in which they only played works from the Finn brothers (Crowded House, Split Enz), and a 35 theatre tour. The plans for a new studio record were therefore postponed. To keep the flame burning, it was decided to release 'Best of', although Kapteijn and Hermes did not have enough greatest hits to justify the title. They decided to add five new songs to presage the studio record that was still on hold. It was quickly clear that they had not forgotten how to write when the hit single 'Beautiful' made it as far as number one on the Argentinean charts.
This was also the moment in which Hermes and Kapteijn became acquainted with arranger Tom Bakker. He provided string arrangements to the five new songs on 'Everything & More'. Niels and Marcel also wanted nothing more than to cooperate with Tom again for their next record. This ultimately resulted in the album 'Stay', in which Tom Bakker was responsible for a major part of the compositions. It is a positive, enthusiastic album filled with twelve highly divergent pieces. This time, the production was given to Peter van Asten. Guitarist Rob Winter, bassist Giovanni Caminita, drummer Ton Dijkman, and pianist Tom Bakker formed the backbone of the album 'Stay'. They, in turn, were accompanied by a string orchestra, the hammond of Nico Brandsen, the percussion of Antoon Toolsma and the brass work of the Jay Horns.
Ten Sharp now
To this very day, Marcel Kapteijn and Niels Hermes are still working on spreading their musical past in the Netherlands and abroad. But, in addition to Ten Sharp, they are also passionately involved in music in their own right.(See Lucky Fella , Music from Hermes, RINGALERTS.com, 3megistus)
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