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About this concert
John Yao & His 17-Piece Instrument delivers a bold, modern take on big band jazz—fusing swing, Latin grooves, and adventurous writing with one of NYC’s most dynamic ensembles.
John Yao & His 17-Piece Instrument / Jazz.
Presented by Acoustic Memories
Location: Terraza 7
Date: Monday July 18, 2025
Time: 7:00PM. to 7:30PM (Open Rehearsal);
7:45PM (Concert)
Admission: $20 COVER
About John Yao & His 17-Piece Instrument:
John Yao and His 17-piece Instrument (JY-17 for short) is the long-standing passion project of trombonist and composer John Yao featuring his original compositions and arrangements which explore the boundaries of harmony, color, texture and rhythm. The 17-piece ensemble is comprised of New York City’s finest jazz musicians including members of Grammy- award winning ensembles such as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, both of which Yao has been a regular substitute for many years. The band’s debut album Flip-Flop was released in 2015 and received critical acclaim. DownBeat says, "[Flip-Flop] showcased Yao's unpredictable compositions and inventive arrangements, which spring from tradition while pointing toward future portals." Yao’s compositions and arrangements are post-bop, experimental and aim to explore new sounds for big band. “At times angular and broken, other times linear and swinging, he offers a broad view of the possibilities of jazz composition,” says Jim McNeely of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. In 2016, Yao founded the Big Band & Beyond Concert Series which featured the premier of new works for the JY-17 as well as a six-month residency at the ShapeShifter Lab in Brookyln, NY.
About John Yao:
For almost twenty years, John Yao has been honing his talents as a trombonist, composer and arranger, and cementing his place on the New York City jazz scene. Yao’s lyrical soloing and expressive, round tone, combined with his relentless drive to push the boundaries of harmony and rhythm, have established him as a unique and forward-thinking jazz talent. Yao has earned wide acclaim. In April 2025 he was appointed to the 100th class of Guggenheim Fellows in the field of Music Composition. In 2023, Yao earned a place in both the Rising Star Trombone and Rising Star Big Band categories in the DownBeat Critics Poll. Lucid Culture proclaims, “John Yao is one of New York’s elite trombonists,” and All About Jazz calls him “a strong compositional voice and effective band-leader able to use his 17-piece band to paint across a wide spectrum and infuse his complex writing with a thoughtful balance of audacity, structure, humor, and sonic might.”
Masterfully leading and composing the music for both his large and small ensemble, Yao has released five albums as a leader. As a trombonist, Yao has worked extensively as a sideman for Grammy-award winning New York City ensembles, such as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra. He has also performed with such esteemed musicians as Paquito D’Rivera, Eddie Palmieri, Danilo Perez, Chris Potter and Kurt Elling, among many others. As a composer, Yao has been commissioned by Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, JMI Jazz World Orchestra Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia, JMI Jazz World Orchestra, Arsonore Spirit Orchestra and numerous other ensembles abroad both educational and professional.
An in-demand educator, Yao serves as Assistant Professor of Trombone at Berklee College of Music and Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College and as Adjunct Professor of Music at Molloy University. He is an XO Brass Clinician, as well as an active guest artist and soloist at colleges and universities throughout the United States and abroad.
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John Yao & His 17-piece Instrument Biography
For almost twenty years, John Yao has been honing his talents as a trombonist, composer and arranger, and cementing his place on the New York City jazz scene. Yao’s lyrical soloing and expressive, round tone, combined with his relentless drive to push the boundaries of harmony and rhythm, have established him as a unique and forward-thinking jazz talent. Yao has earned wide acclaim. In April 2025 he was appointed to the 100th class of Guggenheim Fellows in the field of Music Composition. In 2023, Yao earned a place in both the Rising Star Trombone and Rising Star Big Band categories in the DownBeat Critics Poll. Lucid Culture proclaims, “John Yao is one of New York’s elite trombonists,” and All About Jazz calls him “a strong compositional voice and effective band-leader able to use his 17-piece band to paint across a wide spectrum and infuse his complex writing with a thoughtful balance of audacity, structure, humor, and sonic might.” Masterfully leading and composing the music for both his large and small ensembles, Yao has released five albums as a leader. Yao serves as Assistant Professor of Trombone at Berklee College of Music, Queens College and as Adjunct Professor of Music at Molloy University. He is an XO Brass Clinician and active guest artist and soloist at colleges and universities nationwide and internationally.
Read MoreBig Band
Contemporary Jazz
Jazz
Modern Jazz
Swing
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