 He was invited by the drummer to a tryout session, after which he became a full-time member.Focus resumed as a live act in September 1971; among their first gigs with Ruiter was in Rotterdam as part of the European Newport Jazz Festival on 29 October.Towards the end of the year, de Jong organised the band's first UK tour, a 15-gig trek between 15 February–10 March 1972, to increase exposure and record sales.