Karst van Oosten           

Karst van Oosten is an Amsterdam based multi-instrumentalist and composer with a special affinity for late sixties and early seventies blues rock, rhythm and blues, funk, jazz, fusion and classic hard rock.

Short bio Karst was introduced to keyboards and computer music at a young age but after seeing a video of Jimi Hendrix and his legendary rhythm section playing at the Monterey Pop festival at age 15, he picked up the guitar, and soon after that bass and drums, and decided all he wanted to do was play music. His hero Frank Zappa inspired him to develop himself to become a composer and arranger and Prince inspired him to become a multi-instrumentalist. After gaining experience playing in various bands, and learning about music theory from Raise the Roof guitarist Sander Hop, he spent some years studying to prepare for the traditional jazz major at the conservatory, though at age 21 he choose instead to attend a special major at the Utrecht School of Arts that enclosed composition, performance on multiple instruments, and a focus on various musical styles; not just jazz, but also classical, rock, pop, electronic and film music. After mainly focusing on composing and producing music for Film, TV, radio, jingles, commercials and session work for several years, Karst started to miss performing live and writing his own songs, so his main focus shifted back to playing in bands. At the moment his main focus is on his band EXP, a power trio inspired by the blues rock and rhythm and blues greats of the '60s and '70s. Besides Karst is for hire as session musician, playing drums, bass, guitar and keys with various artists, groups and projects.

As a Guitarist/Singer and Multi-instrumentalist Karst participated in projects ranging from funk, rock, grunge, metal, punk and electronic music, to classical music and jazz. Some of the bands and projects Karst participated in so far are: Punk-Jazz-Metal Ensemble 'Tsja...' (with Moke bassplayer Marcin Felis on Drums), The Phonetics feat. ex-urban dance squad's DJ DNA, Boy Edgar Prize winner Alan Laurillard's In Da Da pocket (avantgarde, jazz, funk), Live Hiphop project Skizm (with Boemklatsch's Mc.Atactic), Danarama, Lupo (retro pop/rock), Live Soundscape Project with Michiel Bertens & Mark Nieuwenhuis,  Skiff (singer-songwriter), Roy Avni feat. Mason's release 'Horz', NHpop2011 winner and Grote Prijs 1/4 Finalist 2012 Rodelle (post-pop), Player (finalist Clash of the Coverbands 2013/2014), Christopher Max, and EXP, Karst's own power trio that beside their strong original material is known for their Jimi Hendrix tribute, with which they managed to reach the semi-finals of the European Battle of the Coverbands.