Joost Lijbaart, born in Amsterdam (1967) is one of Holland’s most versatile and innovative drummers, who has been influenced and inspired by many different musical styles and cultures. He is an active and appreciated artist in the field of jazz, pop and improvised music, but also of modern classical music and dance. He is part of a/o the renowned Yuri Honing Trio, the crossover project Orient Express, the guitar trio Agog and since 2002 he has his own band called Group of Friends. In 2005 he joined the brand new electric jazz quartet Yuri Honing Wired Paradise.

Present projects:
- Group of Friends
- Trio Agog
- Yuri Honing Wired Paradise
- Lijbaart & Brederode

Joost Lijbaart and pianist Wolfert Brederode, well known for his close collaboration with ECM recording Swiss vocalist Susanne Abbuehl, recently started working with the famous Dutch writer Frans Thomése. He is the author of the acclaimed book Shadow Child, in which he describes the death of his child. The book has been a huge success in The Netherlands. It is translated into other languages and published in various European countries. Thomése also ‘recorded’ the book for blind people and he invited Lijbaart and Brederode to add music to the text, read by Thomése himself. The collaboration between Lijbaart en Brederode turned out so well, they have decided to record an album this year.

Group of Friends on DVD
Live at the North Sea Jazz Festival

After being a highly appreciated sideman for many years, Lijbaart decided it was time for his own group in 2002. A year later the debut CD of Joost Lijbaart - Group of Friends was released, receiving many great reviews. In the same year the Group, featuring Mats Eilertsen from Norway (bass), Yuri Honing (tenor sax) and Benjamin Herman (alt sax), performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival and the concert was broadcast by NPS Dutch television. In cooperation with NPS and the North Sea Jazz Festival, in 2005 the DVD of this concert, entitled Live at the North Sea Jazz Festival (Digital Surround and DTS 5.1) has come out. And again the critics are very enthusiastic. A concert tour for 2007 is planned.