Romke Kleefstra


Romke Kleefstra is a musician from the Netherlands. Currently he is a member of Transtilla, Piiptsjilling and The Alvaret Ensemble.

Biography

Romke Kleefstra was born on 28 July 1972 in Akkrum, Netherlands. From 1992 up to 2007 Kleefstra was singer and songwriter in the indie bands Shatterhole, and . In 2008 Kleefstra formed with his brother Jan Kleefstra, Rutger Zuydervelt and Mariska Baars. Since then he's been in numerous collaborations and projects with his brother, in which his music contains elements of ambient, post-rock, minimalism, drone, modern classical music up to free impro jazz. After releasing Piiptsjilling's first album in 2008 a solid stream of CD's, LP's, DVD's and cassettes followed on labels like Experimedia, Hybernate, Home Normal, Spekk, Low Point, Monotype, Denovali, Midira and Tombed Visions. Besides Piiptsjilling, Romke Kleefstra is a permanent member of groups like The Alvaret Ensemble and Transtilla.
As a member of Piiptsjilling Kleefstra co-initiated the film and music project for the Into The Great Wide Open festival in 2011, with Piiptsjilling, Peter and Heather Broderick, Nils Frahm and Greg Haines. It was succeeded by the half-Icelandic project for the Oerol festival 2012. In 2015 the Frisian collective toured the Netherlands with Japanese film artists of the . In 2016 the Kleefstra's did the same with a similar project called, including the Norwegian musicians Alexander Rishaug, Hilde Marie Holsen and Michael Duch. In 2018 Piiptsjilling teamed up with Sylvain Chaveau, Joacim Badenhorst and Annelies Monseré in the project . In 2021 the Kleefstra brothers started a four year artist in residence project called IT DEEL, collaborating with Jacaszek in 2021, in 2022, and Karen Willems in 2023. Visual artists that worked together in projects with the Kleefstra's are 33one3rd, Haraldur Karlsson, Kei Shichiri, Marco Douma, Rei Hayama, Sabine Bürger, Shinkan Tamaki and Takashi Makino.

Discography

Shatterhole

  • Mental Paradox
  • Swell Life

Seascape Painters

  • Seascape Painters
  • Polder EP

Polaroyd

  • Thaw
  • Underworld

Piiptsjilling

  • Piiptsjilling
  • Wurdskrieme
  • Molkedrippen
  • Moarntiids
  • Slieperswaar
  • Kjeld
  • Fiif
  • in spoar

Kleefstra|Bakker|Kleefstra

  • Wink
  • Griis
  • Nacht en Dei
  • Live March 2012
  • Sinne op 'e Wangen
  • Dage
  • Desimber
  • Dize

Gareth Davis, Jan Kleefstra, Romke Kleefstra

  • Sieleslyk
  • Tongerswel

Kleefstra|Pruiksma|Kleefstra

  • Deislieper

Kleefstra|Pruiksma|Kuitwaard|Kleefstra

  • Sinneplakken

The Alvaret Ensemble

  • The Alvaret Ensemble
  • Skeylja
  • Ea

CMKK

  • GAU

Tsjinlûd

  • Tsjinlûd

Ljerke

  • Ljerke

Fean

  • Fean
  • Fean II

Kleefstra Bros

  • It Goeshoes

Transtilla

  • Transtilla I
  • Transtilla II
  • Transtilla III

IT DEEL

  • Jacaszek, Romke Kleefstra, Jan Kleefstra - IT DEEL I
  • Eivind Lønning, Espen Reinertsen, Romke Kleefstra & Jan Kleefstra - IT DEEL II
  • Karen Willems, Romke Kleefstra & Jan Kleefstra - IT DEEL III
  • Joana Guerra, Maria Do Mar, Romke Kleefstra & Jan Kleefstra - IT DEEL IV

Various

  • That It Stays Winter Forever, with Kleefstra|Bakker|Kleefstra
  • Mort Aux Vaches, with Kleefstra|Bakker|Kleefstra
  • Seeljocht, with Piiptsjilling
  • Elements I-V, with Piiptsjilling
  • Stay Tuned
  • Past Disappears, with Piiptsjilling
  • Moving Noises II, with Piiptsjilling
  • Into The White, with Kleefstra|Bakker|Kleefstra
  • Eilean 92, with Ljerke
  • Matter Affect, with FEAN

Projects

Seeljocht; artist in residence for Into The Great Wide Open Festival 2011, also on Explore The North Festival and Le Guess Who? Skeylja; artist in residence for Oerol Festival Duif, film by Dinanda Luttikhedde and music project with the Kleefstra's and Mike Kramer, for Cultura Nova Festival and Noorderzon Performing Arts Festival, also on Explore The North Festival Klanklânskippen Japan; touring film and music project, also on Noordelijk Film Festival Ljerke; touring film and music project, also on Le Guess Who? Festival IT DEEL; four year artist in residence project with Jacaszek, Streifenjunko and Karen Willems