In the late 70s he took up saxophone and started to compose music, but 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 and Latin America.

Besides working as a soloist, he collaborated with many musicians and ensembles in the field of contemporary and improvised music, like Mats Gustafsson, Michael Zerang, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Melvyn Poore, Paul Dutton, Nicolas Collins, Michael Lentz, the Netherlands Wind Ensemble and the Ebony Band. In Germany, he performs several works by Carola Bauckholt, and got a commission from the Donaueschingen Music Days.

Blonk is the founder and leader of Splinks, a 13-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.

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.

Recently he started making electro-acoustic work, created by sampling and and processing the sounds of his voice and using them in algorithmic compositions.

BRAAXTAAL "dworr brunn" (Kontrans 448)

Jaap Blonk - voice, electronics; Rob Daenen - sampler; Theo Boedewew - drums, sampler

Tracks: Koekela Dast - Zood Vooiig - Glag - Riekeleu Vuisma - Hoe Tarr - Glag - Glag -Dworr Bruun - Glag - Dongstra

Averschuw / Electric Solo Improvisations (Kontrans 947)

Jaap Blonk - voice

tracks: Spruicht - Zieuwis - Plokkel - Onge - Dleddem - Zomper -Hakjetoe - Averschuw - Flijndeman - Tekrofter - Glomrijk

BRAAXTAAL
Jaap Blonk - voice, electronics; Rob Daenen - sampler, synthesizer; Theo Bodewes - electronic drums, sampler
Come to Catch your Voice
Music to Poems by Dylan Thomas
Dr. Voxoid
A solo voice and electronics program by Jaap Blonk
Duo Frank & Blonk:
Frank van Merwijk - piano; Jaap Blonk voice
Bij Lobith
Rob Dirksen - doublebass; Joep Everts - drums
Blonk, Gustafsson & Zerang
Jaap Blonk - voice, Mats Gustafsson - reeds, Michael Zerang - percussion