Joost Lijbaart
Biography
Joost Lijbaart (Amsterdam 1967) started playing drums at the age of 7. He graduated in 1991 with honors from the Hilversum Conservatory.
With the Yuri Honing Trio in 1996, he made the album ‘Star Tracks’ from (a modern adaptation of European pop classics). In the 20 year history of the trio the group released 5 CDs and performed on numerous tours. There were musical collaborations with musicians from the Middle East, India and China.
Besides working as a sideman Lijbaart focused also on his own projects, such as his own quartet ‘Group of Friends’, his duo with pianist Wolfert Brederode, the group Batik and his improvisation trio with vocalist Sanne Rambags and guitar player Bram Stadhouders.
Joost played over the years regularly classical percussion music of Iannis Xenakis, John Cage and Steve Reich and worked on several projects together with Theo Loevendie and Louis Andriessen. He performed as a soloist with the New Ensemble at the Muziekgebouw in 2016 in the piece A.Dhramé.
He was collaborating with artists from other disciplines such as dancer / choreographer Anouk van Dijk, dancer / choreographer Lonneke of Leth and writer PF Thomese.
Joost Lijbaart is a player with many different interests. He has years of experience in the history of jazz from the 50s and 60s, played a lot of pop and rock and studied musical traditions of West Africa, Northern India and the Middle East.
As an experienced teacher Joost Lijbaart gives regular guest lectures and classes at conservatories around the world. Joost Lijbaart toured in more than 90 countries around the world and performed at many major jazz festivals.
Prizes
1993 Europe Jazz Contest, with the Nicolas Thys Trio including ‘Best Drummer Award’.
2002 Dutch Jazz Competition with Agog. Soloist prize from drummer Elvin Jones.
Press
Few drummers equal Lijbaart’s awareness of sound (....) it forces you to listen carefully - Volkskrant, The Netherlands
**** 4-star review: just warm, poetic and exciting originals (....) together they form a manoeuvrable, fast tandem for beautiful music - Parool, The Netherlands
**** 4-star review: with this album two Dutch stylists consolidate their status in the jazz scene - Jazzism, The Netherlands
The way Lijbaart transforms his drums into a lengthening-piece of the piano is admirable, to say the least (....) a captivating CD - Trouw, The Netherlands
Intriguing, exciting, impressionistic music
- HifiVideoTest, The Netherlands
**** 4-star review: this music triggers another way of listening - Jazz, The Netherlands
Sometimes, very rarely, one hears a recording that takes you breath away. ‘One’ is such a recording (....) here we definitely have something new - Brabants Dagblad, The Netherlands
An extraordinary album of two gifted musicians - Jazzflits, The Netherlands
This is music that takes your breath away. And to, breathlessly, disappear into - from the liner notes by P.F. Thomése
Formidable musicians (....) a magnificent drummer, always putting the music first - Parool
Splendid video and sound quality (….) four passionately playing musicians - Nederlands Dagblad
Splendid live-registration of the North Sea Jazz Festival (....) a remarkable Dutch product - Kindamuzik
Lijbaart turns out to be a modest leader who prefers to perform among the others
