LAST YEAR AND NEXT

While 2014 was a year of quite a few releases, in 2015 we only published Slieperswaar with Piiptsjilling. Though, Jan published three collections of poems within a year; two Dutch collections (Melk Druppen, Raafverwantschap) and one Frisian (Sniefellen). Meanwhile we joined the Tsjinlûd collective, recorded an album with it and were part of the great artist in residence project Klanklânskippen Japan, featuring Rei Hayama, Takashi Makino, Osamu Sakamoto and Kei Shichiri (see picture). The recordings will be published next year as a book plus cd, with poetry, paintings and photography by all Tsjinlûd members. Also the movies made during the Klanklânskippen project will be released in the near future.

What more 2016 will bring? Well, we'll also release new material by Kleefstra|Bakker|Kleefstra, we'll be performing now and then with Kleefstra|Bakker|Kleefstra and Tsjinlûd and hope to record more new stuff, for instance with Piiptsjilling. We also hope to be involved in another 'Klanklânskippen artist in residence project' again. So, mainly new releases, gigs, projects and probably more to come... Keep an eye on the blog or Romke's facebook.

KLEEFSTRA|BAKKER|KLEEFSTRA LIVE

Kleefstra|Bakker|Kleefstra is doing four gigs this month. We start off on December 10th in Studio Loos in The Hague as part of an Ephémère evening. Next day we're in Sittard, where we play the pop stage VOLT, accompanying the great trio Dikeman/Noble/Serries. On the 12th we're in Amsterdam, where we are sharing the stage with Glice in the very nice venue De Ruimte. Last but not least we'll be playing De Vrijplaats in Leiden, together with Machinefabriek.

10-12-15: Den Haag (NL) - Studio Loos
11-12-15: Sittard (NL) - Poppodium Volt
12-12-15: Amsterdam (NL) - De Ruimte
19-12-15: Leiden (NL) - Vrijplaats

Interested in new work by Kleefstra|Bakker|Kleefstra? We released one new track just recently on the anniversary compilation of AmbientBlog. That new track, called Widzjende Treast. A new album is set for next Spring.

SNIEFELLEN, NEW FRISIAN POETRY BY JAN KLEEFSTRA

Jan Kleefstra is yet again publishing a new collection of poetry. After the publication of the Dutch collection Raafverwantschap he now comes up with the Frisian collection Sniefellen. Sniefellen contains 60 pages of poetry, with drawings by Christiaan Kuitwaard, who also made music with the Kleefstra's on Sinneplakken and in Tsjinlûd. Sniefellen is published by Friese Pers Boerkerij and you can order it here.

KLANKLÂNSKIPPEN JAPAN

Special artist in residence project! First of all, we kind of re-joined the collective Tsjinlûd, consisting of the poets Jan Kleefstra, Elmar Kuiper, Remco Kuiper and Grytsje Schaaf, and the musicians Anne-Chris Bakker, Romke Kleefstra and Christiaan Kuitwaard. Tsjinlûd is involved in an artist in residence project of Klanklânskippen, together with the Japanese film artists Rei Hayama, Takashi Makino and Kei Shichiri, and shadow player Osamu Sakamoto.

'Klanklânskippen Japan' kicks off November 8th with a performance on the Media Art Festival in the city of Leeuwarden. It will be a combination of live screening, music and poetry. In the days after the Japanese will shoot new material in the field with Tsjinlûd and do another performance in Amsterdam on the 10th. The new work will be presented on the Noordelijk Film Festival on November 14th and the following dates in Drachten, Nijmegen and Rotterdam. All screening with live impro and poetry.

08-11-15: Leeuwarden (NL) - Media Art Festival (venue: Westerkerk)
10-11-15: Amsterdam (NL) - OT301
14-11-15: Leeuwarden (NL) - Noordelijk Filmfestival (venue: Neushoorn)
15-11-15: Drachten (NL) - Schouwburg De Lawei
17-11-15: Nijmegen (NL) - Extrapool
18-11-15: Rotterdam (NL) - De Player

RAAFVERWANTSCHAP, NEW COLLECTION OF POETRY BY JAN KLEEFSTRA

Jan Kleefstra just published his sixth collection of poetry. Title of the book (59 pp) is 'Raafverwantschap', containing Dutch poetry. It is available through Aspekt and numerous bookshops on the internet. You can also order it straight from us. It's €10 incl. postage. Just send an e-mail to the Kleefstra Bros.

Het is niet de zon die ruist

de roeken verontrust

haviken hebben nooit

een geheim van hun honger gemaakt

JAN KLEEFSTRA @ PORTUGAL SLAM

From September 24th-26th Jan Kleefstra will be part of the International Festival of Poetry and Performance in Lissabon. He will perform reciting solo, give a workshop and be part of a debat on various locations. The film 'Sinne op 'e wangen', made by Sabine Bürger with music and poetry by Kleefstra|Bakker|Kleefstra, will be part of the exhibition 'Silencio Improvavel, Poesia Experimentada' in the Sociedade Guilherme Cossoul in Lissabon, opening September 26th. More info on the site of Portugal Slam.

BLOOD ON THE MOUNTAIN

The brand new American film 'Blood on the Mountain' features the music of Piiptsjilling and Machinefabriek. The film is a searing investigation into the economic and environmental injustices that have resulted from industrial control in West Virginia. This new feature documentary details the struggles of a hard-working, misunderstood people, who have historically faced limited choices and have never benefited fairly from the rich, natural resources of their land. Blood On The Mountain delivers a striking portrait of a fractured population, exploited and besieged by corporate interests, and abandoned by the powers elected to represent them. Directed by Mari-Lynn Evans and Jordan Freeman. Producers: Deborah Wallace, Mari-Lynn Evans, Jordan Freeman. Keep an eye and an ear on this documentary!

NEW PIIPTSJILLING RELEASE: SLIEPERSWAAR

Last February Piiptsjilling performed for the first time as a three piece at the Moving Noises Festival in Bochum (Germany). The performance was recorded perfectly, so we decided to edit and release it. It's out now, as a fancy limited edition 3" CDr and download on Piiptsjilling's Bandcamp. Go there!

LIVE FOOTAGE PIIPTSJILLING

February 21st Piiptsjilling played the Moving Noises Festivals in Bochum (Germany) as a three piece. Sabine Bürger filmed the gig and edited it into a 10 minute video. Pictures of the gig can be found here.

ARJAN HUT | ROMKE KLEEFSTRA | ANNE-CHRIS BAKKER LIVE

March 13th Romke Kleefstra and Anne-Chris Bakker will do a one-off gig with the poet Arjan Hut, in the context of Swalk, a traveling festival in the Dutch province of Fryslân. Swalk contains several projects on location of which 'It museum fan binnenút' (The museum from the inside out) is one. It's a crossover of painters and writers that worked together in and got inspired by the Frisian nature museum; it's nature historical collection and the beautiful monument it's located in. One of the writers is poet Arjan Hut. Together with Romke and Anne-Chris he will do an impro of music and spoken work during the opening of the exhibition and the presentation of the book with poems and drawings made for the project. So, 'kleefbakkerhut', March 13th, 16.00 h, Natuurmuseum Fryslân, Leeuwarden.

PIIPTSJILLING LIVE

February 21st Piiptsjilling will play the Moving Noises Festival in Bochum (Germany). The festival takes place in the town's Christuskirche. Also Dirk Serries, RM 74, Mohammad, Silver Grapes, Tape Measure Kid, Nadja and Machinefabriek will perform. Hope to see you there. Meanwhile you can listen to the Moving Noises II sampler by Midira Records on Bandcamp and download it for free, feat. Piiptsjilling with Rein.

MELK DRUPPEN, NEW COLLECTION OF POEMS BY JAN KLEEFSTRA

Jan Kleefstra's new, fifth collection of Dutch poems is out now. It's called Melk druppen. A fine, small publication with about fifty verses. Melk druppen is published by and available at Uitgeverij Aspekt. Or go to Jan's facebookpage and send him a direct message!

MOVING NOISES II COMPILATION FEAT. PIIPTSJILLING

Midira Records published the Moving Noises II compilation, featuring a previously unreleased track by Piiptsjilling, called Rein (Rain). You can download the compilation, also featuring Machinefabriek, Dirk Serries, Nadja and others on Bandcamp. The festival will take place on Februari 21st in Bochum (Germany).



Within a year time four single Piiptsjilling tracks were released, all from the same sessions as Piiptsjillings album Moarntiids. Here's all four of them:

Bernehân (Piiptsjilling's Bandcamp)
Stienrinner (from Home Normal's compilation 'Elements')
Snie (from Dronarivm's compilation 'Past Dissapears')
Rein (from Midira's compilation 'Moving Noises II')