“Free is an album I’ve always wanted to make. I didn’t know how, I was too busy and afraid of it. Then came a time when the world seemed to stand still. A time of reflection and contemplation. It gave me the energy to enter into an inner dialogue. Spiritually and musically. Free has become a journey inward. Within it I found desolation and fear but also strength, joy, passion and infinity. Free is about unity. About becoming “whole” but also about time and space.”  
– Joost Lijbaart

Free is the debut solo album by drummer, percussionist and improviser Joost Lijbaart and also the fulfillment of a long cherished wish: a complete solo album with Lijbaart playing all the instruments in addition to the drums. We can hear a lot of tuned percussion like glockenspiel, harmonium and vibraphone, but also more African and Asian percussion such as odaiko drums, anklung and balafon. The music is remarkably accessible and melodic for a solo percussion album. Free has become an extremely personal album where Lijbaart found the world within himself, his musical influences and personal reflections.

Joost Lijbaart has toured in more than 90 countries around the world and played at many major jazz festivals. In 1996 he recorded the album “Star Tracks” with the Yuri Honing Trio. In the 20 year history of the trio, the group released 5 albums. With the Yuri Honing Acoustic Quartet he recorded 4 albums between 2010 and 2020; two were awarded an Edison Award. Next to his work as a sideman, Lijbaart also focused on his own projects, such as his own quartet “Group of Friends”, his duo with pianist Wolfert Brederode, the group Batik and his trio with singer Sanne Rambags and guitarist Bram Stadhouders. Their debut album was nominated for an Edison in 2017. As a drummer he received the soloist prize at Elvin Jones’ jazz competition at the North Sea Jazz Festival in 2003.

Watch the teaser solo album Free: