After having played the piano and the bassguitar MASHA BIJLSMA started singing at the age of 19 when she formed the Masha Bijlsma Band.

This group was an instant succes and played all over the world: Germany, Belgium, Danmark, Sweden, Greece, Switzerland, Bulgaria, United Kingdom, Indonesia and the USA, doing clubgigs, tv and radio performances and playing famous festivals as the North Sea Jazz Festival.


Masha made five great CD's and got herself a fast growing number of fans! She sings repertoire from diverging composers as Thelonious Monk, Fats Waller, Charlie Haden, Tony Lakatos, Jasper van 't Hof, Kate Bush and Noa. Sometimes writing her own lyrics Masha provided Charlie Hadens beautiful 'First Song' with words and dedicated the song to the great Ms Abbey Lincoln, entitled 'Song for Abbey'.


Over the years wonderful guest soloists played with the Masha Bijlsma Band: Benny Bailey, Bob Malach, Gary Thomas, Ack van Royen, Eric Vloeimans, Jarmo Hoogendijk, Ruud Breuls, Bart van Lier and Tony Lakatos, to name just a few.




Masha’s Band:


Influenced by musicians as Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner and Chick Corea ROB VAN DEN BROECK succeeded in establishing a distinct style of his own. During his impressive career he worked with musicians like Kenny Wheeler, Charlie Mariano and Billy Higgins. Besides being a musician Rob is 'colourful' in a different way as an artist painter.


bassplayer HENK DE LIGT is one of Hollands finest bassplayers. Though still young he already got a lot lof experience playing with wonderful musicians as Joe Pass, Jeff Hamilton, Deborah Brown and Denise Jannah. Henk is a very strong player with a phenomenal technique, groovin' and very melodic. He also is a gifted composer.


hard swinging drummer DRIES BIJLSMA studied the drums at the Rotterdam Conservatory; active in the groups of Rob van den Broeck and Jasper van 't Hof he could be heard accompanying a.o. Don Byas, Mal Waldron, Woody Shaw and Deborah Brown. Dries loves Elvin!