LAST YEAR AND NEXT

The hiatus of about 1,5 year in releasing new stuff since Piiptsjilling's Slieperswaar may have been somewhat disconcerting, we've heard. Hope we made up for that a bit at the end of 2016. It's been a good year music wise, with all different projects we're in on stage and/or releasing.

2016 started off with a small tour by Kleefstra|Bakker|Kleefstra joining Danny Saul. With K|B|K we also released two new albums: studio-album Dage (Low Point) and the live-album Desimber (Tombed Visions). Both were released on cassette and are also available as downloads. There's another K|B|K-release on its way and that is Dage's twin-album 'Dize', soon to be released on cd by Midira Records. K|B|K will perform live in January (Paradiso Amsterdam) and April (UK).

2016 was also the year of Tsjinlûd's first album, which consists out of a book and cd. The group also performed a few times in a changing line-up, including the collaboration with the Portuguese poets Raquel Lima and Nuno Garcia, and cellist Joana Guerra. Joana also teamed up with The Alvaret Ensemble, during its tour through the Netherlands and Belgium. A fine tour, about time too, which we closed with two days of recording, what will lead to a new album, set for (hopefully) next autumn.

Also Piiptsjilling recorded new work and even did a rare (recorded) live gig. From both we'll be extracting releases, one soon, the other somewhat later in 2017. And that's not all, because new in 2016 was the LJERKE-project, in which Kleefstra|Pruiksma|Kleefstra was joined by the great Norwegian musicians Alexander Rishaug, Hilde Marie Holsen and Michael Duch. With LJERKE we also did a very, very fine tour and spend two days recording, which will lead to an album release in 2017 too.

So, that's it for 2016 and quite a bit for 2017. More to come. Tsjoch!

NEW RELEASE: DESIMBER BY KLEEFSTRA|BAKKER|KLEEFSTRA

Tombed Visions Records released the 7th album by Kleefstra|Bakker|Kleefstra (KBK) on December 1st. It is called 'Desimber' (Frisian for December) and it was recorded in December last year when the trio was doing a short tour in the Netherlands. Side A of the cassette contains a show that was recorded in Leiden, side B contains a show recorded in The Hague. Both recordings were mixed and mastered by Rutger Zuydervelt (Machinefabriek/Piiptsjilling).

You can order 'Desimber' on Tombed Visions' Bandcamp. KBK released a tape like this, with two gigs, once before. It was called 'Live March 2012' and we've got just a few copies left. If you're interested, check our Bandcamp. Low Point just released KBK's studio album 'Dage'. You can order 'Dage' on Low Point's Bandcamp.

More KBK coming up. There is another studio album on the way. Keep an eye on Midira Records for that one. KBK plays the Dutch underground festival 'Van Onderen' in Paradiso Amsterdam on January 8th. In April KBK will do a few gigs in the UK, including the Fat Out Fest in Manchester!

THE ALVARET ENSEMBLE ON TOUR

The Alvaret Ensemble will do a short Dutch/Belgium tour from 6-11 December. The quartet extends to a sextet with Polish violist Olga Wojciechowska and Portuguese cellist Joana Guerra. The tour starts with an intimate kinda try-out show in the cosy theatre Dijktheater, for those who want to meet and greet the band. Then The Alvaret Ensemble carries on to Leuven (with Otto Lindholm), Utrecht (Fluister-gig), Heerlen (nice monastery), Den Haag (the State X New Forms festival) and ends in home town Leeuwarden in a small church. Directly after the tour the six will record new work together, intended for a new release in 2017.

It's been two years since the last Alvaret Ensemble show, so if you want to see the group play, this is your chance!

06-12-16: Amsterdam – Dijktheater (20.00 h)
07-12-16: Leuven – Histaruz (19.00 h)
08-12-16: Utrecht – Fluister in Vechtclub XL (21.30 h)
09-12-16: Heerlen – Savelbergklooster (20.00 h)
10-12-16: Den Haag - State X New Forms in ’t Paard (21.00 h)
11-12-16: Leeuwarden - Dorpskerk Huizum (20.30 h)