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Jaap Blonk

Real Name:
Jaap Blonk
Profile:
Jaap Blonk (born 1953 in Woerden, Holland) is a self-taught composer, voice performer and sound poet. His unfinished studies in physics, mathematics and musicology mainly created a penchant for activities in a Dada vein, as did several unsuccessful jobs in offices and other well-organized systems.

In the late 1970s he took up saxophone and started to compose music, and a few years later a real breakthrough occurred: he discovered the power and flexibility of his voice. At present, he has developed into a prolific writer/composer and a specialist in the performance of sound poetry, supported by a powerful stage presence and an almost childlike freedom in improvisation. He performed in many European countries, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Indonesia, South Africa and Latin America.

Besides working as a soloist, he collaborated with many musicians and ensembles in the field of contemporary and improvised music, like Paul Lytton, Mats Gustafsson, Michael Zerang, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Melvyn Poore, Paul Dutton, Nicolas Collins, the Netherlands Wind Ensemble and the Ebony Band. He performed in several compositions by the German composer Carola Bauckholt, including a piece for voice and orchestra. A solo voice piece was commissioned by the Donaueschinger Musiktage 2002.

Blonk is the founder and leader of Splinks, a 15-piece orchestra playing his compositions, and Braaxtaal, an avant-rock trio with synthesizer and drums. He also has his own record label, Kontrans.

His work for radio and television includes several commissioned radio plays.
He also makes larger-scale drawings of his scores, which have been exhibited.
Blonk is an energetic workshop leader too, who taught in many different countries, including a lot of work with children.
A recent development is his involvement with electronics, in the form of work created by sampling and processing the sounds of his voice.
Jaap Blonk keeps on searching the rich common ground between poetry and music. He is always after new sounds and combinations of sounds, without abandoning completely the semantics of language. His live performances are music, poetry and performance art all at the same time.
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Discography

Releases:
Ursonate (LP)   BV Haast Records 1986
Flux De Bouche (CD)   Staalplaat 1993
Liederen Uit De Hemel (CD)   Poëzie Perdu 1993
Improvisors (CD)   Kontrans 1996
Improvisors (CD)   Kontrans 1996
First Meetings (CD, Album)   Buzz-Records 1998
Vocalor (CD)   Staalplaat 1998
Averschuw (CD, Album)   Kontrans 2001
Come To Catch Your Voice (CD, Album)   Loplop 2001
Brombron 05: Bek (CD)   Staalplaat 2002
Improvisors (CD)   Kontrans 2002
Improvisors (CD, Album, Dig)   Kontrans 2003
Off Shore (2xCD, Album, Gat)   Kontrans 2003
Five Men Singing (CD)   Les Disques Victo 2004
Improvisors (CD, Album, Dig)   Kontrans 2004
Ursonate (CD)   Basta 2004
Post-Human Identities (CD)   Kontrans 2005
Dubbletwee (LP, Ltd)   Ecstatic Peace! 2008
Appears On:
Braaxtaal (CD, Dig)   Kontrans 1993
Speechlos (CD, Album, Gat)   Kontrans 1997
Dworr Buun (CD, Album)   Kontrans 2001
Een Rondje Holland (CD, Album)   Ex Records 2001
Musicworks 79: Ongoing Explorations In Sound (CD, Album) Labior, , Blazz Musicworks 2001
Six Sound Poems Of Hugo Ball (CD, Album)   Kontrans 2003
Vijftig-En-Een-Half (2xCD, Comp) Zood Vooiig, Hakjetoe,... Kontrans 2003
HörenSagen - Erzählende Musik (2xCD, Comp) Labior Nur/Nicht/Nur 2005
Tracks Appear On:
Nardwuar The Human Serviette Presents: Skookum Chief Powered Teenage Zit Rock Angst (LP) Deutsche Lyrik NardWuar Records 1995
Sonderangebot (CD, Comp) I’ll Just Do A Short... Staalplaat 1996
Staalplaat Cocktail Events (CD, Mini) Bubble & Squeak Staalplaat 1997
The Cocktail Event (CD) Untitled Staalplaat 1997
Musik Sprechen (CD, Album) Der Minister I, Der Mi... WERGO 1998
Musicworks 79: Ongoing Explorations In Sound (CD, Album) Labior, Musicworks 2001
Fümms Bö Wö Tää Zää Uu: Stimmen Und Klänge Der Lautpoesie (CD) Broodje Ei Met Ui Urs Engeler Editor 2002
Festival Voor Nieuwe Muziek > Happy New Ears 2003 (CD, Comp, Dig) Hinderspraakje Not On Label 2003
Ice Sculpture Theater (CD, Comp, Promo) Esprit D'Encore Tedium House Publications 2003
Kraakgeluiden (CD, Comp) Kraak 16.09.2002 Unsounds 2003
Vijftig-En-Een-Half (2xCD, Comp) Hakjetoe, Har, Sarmati... Kontrans 2003
The Agents Of Impurity (CD, Comp) Blaf Sonic Arts Network 2004
Windpipe Moods (CD, Comp) Luusterposten Mukow Productions 2004
Homenaje (2xCD) Qrito Rackham Records 2005
HörenSagen - Erzählende Musik (2xCD, Comp) Labior Nur/Nicht/Nur 2005
NEW Nijmeegsche Electronische Waar 1.0 Een Punt Nul (CD) Klik Not On Label 2005
Sonic Acts XI - The Anthology Of Computer Art (DVD) Ursonography (Schwitte... Wire Magazine 2006
Blood, Muscle & Air: The Intimate Voice (CD, Album) Idling On Air Sonic Arts Network 2008
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