Trace (prog. rock / The Netherlands)

Trace was a Dutch progressive rock trio founded by Rick van der Linden in 1974 after leaving Ekseption. They released three albums before merging back into Ekseption.

History:

In 1973 after releasing their album entitled Trinity, the members of the band Ekseption asked Rick van der Linden to leave the band. At this time Ekseption were quite famous which led Philips, their record-company, to give van der Linden the opportunity to find a new band.
In January 1974 van der Linden started rehearsals with Peter de Leeuwe, who had been playing drums with Ekseption before. The pair split up again soon after, since van der Linden considered de Leeuwe to lack in skill. De Leeuwe was replaced in February by Pierre van der Linden (a second-cousin of Rick), who had left Focus in October, 1973. To complete the trio, Rick finally asked Jaap van Eik, a self-taught musician considered to be one of the best Dutch bass players, to join the band. 

Originally named Ace (in the tradition of Cream and Flash to highlight their supergroup status), they had to change the name to Trace when they discovered a British band had already trademarked the name.

Trace is a kind of Dutch equivalent to early ELP but Rick has a wider array of keyboards, including Hammond B3 organ, Hohner clavinet and pianet, ARP - and EMI synthesizers, harpsichord, Solina string-ensemble, Mellotron and church organ. He even used the sound of a bagpipe! The music is a treat for fans from bands like The Nice, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Triumvirat and early Le Orme. Despite good albums, great concerts and worldwide recognition, Trace didn’t work out the high expectations and the ‘supertrio’ dissolved in the late Seventies. Nowadays Jaap van Eik is chief-editor from the technical based music magazine Music Maker and Rick recently after many years again went on tour with a new Ekseption line-up, including a magnificent digital church organ and his wife on vocals. Rick died 22 January 2006 after suffering a stroke.


On the 9th September 1974 the trio released their first, self-titled album. Their second album, Birds was released on 1 January 1975, and featured future Marillion drummer Ian Mosley. 
A third album, The White Ladies, was released in 1976 with Rick van der Linden being supported by all of the former members of Ekseption save trumpeter Rein van den Broek. In 1978 van den Broek rejoined the group which effectively became Ekseption once again.


Discography:


Trace (1974)
Birds (1975)
The White Ladies (1976)



Trace - King's Bird Live (1977):

 Birds (1975, full album):