Jaap Blonk, Koichi Makigami, Paul Dutton, Phil Minton & David Moss
Five Men Singing
Victo
“"You may call them sound poets, vocalists, or even singers, but when you gather all five of them on-stage they become pure entertainers. Five Men Singing is the genuine avant-garde voice summit. Recorded live at the 2003 Festival International de Musique Actuelle de Victoriaville, this performance is a delightful demonstration of what the human voice is capable of, what level of excitement group improvisation can provide, and what creative singing is all about. The performance is spontaneous, mischievous, occasionally deviant, often humorous, and extremely physical." -François Couture”
Braaxtaal
Speechlos
Kontrans
“Working with his BRAXTAAL group, Blonk combines wit with sputters, twists, and loose social commentary to demonstrate his extraordinary ability to mold the human voice into often unrecognizable forms. Vocalizing in English (and other tongues, some nonsensical), this recording is not easy listening. In fact, it may disrupt and even annoy with its unique vocabulary of noise/sound. Nonetheless, there is much here to savor, and Blonk's utterly unique style and marvelous technique are quite astonishing. Performances by Blonk are not for the squeamish (he has been known to simulate the sounds of bodily functions), and this one is no exception. But for those open to something entirely different that is challenging as well as entertaining, though sometimes upsetting, a fling with Jaap Blonk might do the trick. Especially gripping are his renditions of the entertaining "Speechlos," and the prescient "Rational," and the provocative "As I Was Saying."”
Braaxtaal
dworr buun
Kontrans
“"This continues a somewhat new direction for the ever-inventive sound sculptor Jaap Blonk, who never seems to shy from flirting with the extremes of noise/music. For this version of his group Braaxtaal, the vocalist recites his poetry supplemented by his own contributions on electronics, and he is joined by Rob Daenen on sampler and Theo Bodewes on drums and sampler. Blonk speaks in the obscure and unique fictional language of Onderland, which sounds like the Dutch language, but is actually totally different from it." -Steve Loewy”
Maja Ratkje & Jaap Blonk
Majaap
Kontrans
“This duo deals with improvised vocals – with or without electronic effects. Jaap Blonk is a Dutch performer who has performed sound poetry and free improvisation since the 80’s. They have released two album on Kontrans, one without and one with live electronics. More or less all sounds are derived from the voice/mouth region.”
Jaap Blonk, Fred Lonberg-Holm and Michael Zerang
First Meetings
BUZZ Records
“Cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm and percussionist Michael Zerang have collaboratively joined forces before, but the addition of Dutch vocalist Jaap Blonk is a wonderful complement to the Chicago duo. Blonk, of course, is much more than your usual "singer, " as the sounds he caresses from his vocal chords are utterly unconventional and strikingly unique. He is literally a one-man band, reaching into a bag of bizarre blips and pops, wonderfully complementing his colleagues. Lonberg-Holm and Zerang have mastered their crafts so well that they almost sound as one. Transforming the cello into a wildly, freestyle machine, Lonberg-Holm creates a unique blend of noise and scratches into which Zerang holds on and digs. The results are totally satisfying, and each of the ten tracks glows with highlights. ~Steven A. Loewy”
