Joe Sorbara has developed a reputation as a diverse and musical presence on Toronto's growing creative improvised music scene as a drummer and percussionist, composer, improviser, organizer and educator. His practice deals equally with pre-composed and instantly-composed or freely improvised music; but especially with the vast terrain in between these extremes: with the wonders and challenges offered by the process of negotiating all types and degrees of constraint and freedom.

Joe's own projects include the 'seven-or-more-tet' Other Foot First and the Pickle Juice Orchestra. He co-leads a number of ensembles including the Remnants Trio (with Evan Shaw and Ken Aldcroft) and a duo with corporeal mime Julie Lassonde. Joe performs on a regular basis with the AIMToronto Orchestra and with Ken Aldcroft's Convergence Ensemble. He also spends a great deal of time making music in ad hoc collaborations with improvisers from far and wide.

Sorbara’s music can be heard on recordings by Anthony Braxton & the AIMToronto Orchestra [Creative Orchestra (Guelph) 2007 Spool Records], Aldcroft/ Shaw/ Sorbara [Remnants 2006 Oval Window Records], Squash Recipe [Squash Recipe 2005 Babel Records], Glen Hall's Trio Muo [Angles 2005 Tarsier Records), Ken Aldcroft [Trolleys 2008, The Great Divide 2006, From Our Time 2003, Kirby Side Road 2004 Trio Records) and Peter van Huffel [Mind Over Matter 2003 Independent]. In addition to the above, he has had the pleasure of performing with such notable musicians as John Abercrombie, Michael Bates, Tim Brady, Anthony Braxton, Tom Chant, Wilbert de Joode, Jean Derome, Dave Douglas, Dominic Duval, Lori Freedman, Malcolm Goldstein, Frank Gratkowski, Stephen Grew, Peggy Lee, Lee Pui Ming, Joe Lovano, Joe Mcphee, Nicole Mitchell, Michael Moore, John Oswald, Evan Parker, William Parker, Michael Snow, Ron Samworth, Dylan van der Schyff and Jack Wright. He has performed for audiences all over Canada as well as in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.

Joe has worked extensively as a workshop facilitator and guest lecturer at the University of Toronto, Humber College, Carleton University and elsewhere. He began teaching in the Music Department at the University of Guelph in 2007. There, he currently directs the Contemporary Music Ensemble, a large ensemble focusing on creative improvised music, and works with young percussionists in the Applied Music program.

Sorbara has a strong sense of community and is dedicated to the ongoing development of the creative music scene in Toronto. In addition to his activities as a performing musician, Joe is also a stalwart creative music organizer, a founding Board member of AIMToronto, a member of the Somewhere There collective, and has been the director of the weekly Leftover Daylight Series since its inception in 2003.