After self-taught composer, vocalist, poet and visual artist Jaap Blonk’s unfinished studies in mathematics and musicology and unsuccessful stints in offices created a penchant for Dadaism, Blonk discovered the power and flexibility of his voice and began his life-long research into phonetics and the possibilities of the human voice. He has since become a specialist in the creation and performance of sound poetry, with a powerful stage presence and an uninhibited feeling for improvisation. With the use of live electronics and visuals, the scope and range of his concerts has acquired a considerable extension, and to date, Blonk’s music has appeared on 30 releases on his own Kontrans label; many other recordings as well as books with his visual work have been published in several countries.
In the first set of this performance, Jaap Blonk will work with his voice only. He will present mostly new work—some computer generated, some based on phonetic research, some improvised. Key pieces from his older repertoire will be included, as well a few of his favorites from the history of sound poetry. In the second set, Blonk will work with live electronics and visuals next to the voice—a selection from his “YappiScope” material.
