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John Yao: Flip-Flop
by Franz A. Matzner
The trombone is one of jazz's secret weapons. Not as ubiquitous as the saxophone or as iconic as the trumpet in the popular imagination, it nonetheless holds a powerful position as one of jazz's defining instruments. It's also the case that the trombone appears to be currently experiencing a renaissance--one which trombonist, composer, and bandleader John Yao's sophomore effort Flip-Flop is clearly a part. Comprised of ten compositions for his 17-piece big band, Yao demonstrates how when properly ...
Continue ReadingJohn Yao: In The Now
by Franz A. Matzner
Trombonist John Yao's debut as a leader In the Now successfully fuses contemporary flavors and more traditional jazz idioms to produce a solid, hip collection of tunes bounding with vitality and fun.A protégé of Luis Bonilla, Yao reflects that trombonist's thoughtful compositional style, crafting an album of intelligently constructed pieces that give his powerful quintet plenty of room to display its skills. While the majority of tunes strike an astute balance between traditional structures and modern styles, occasionally ...
Continue ReadingJohn Yao Quintet: In The Now
by Dan Bilawsky
Freedom and streamlined focus don't often get along on jazz recordings, but when they do, it can make for an inspired outing. Trombonist John Yao managed to merge these divergent pathways into a single direction on his debut album, creating a flavorful feast for the senses. Yao's music is teeming with danger and uncertainty, yet it all seems to go down much smoother than a lot of material made with a similar recipe. This is due, in large part, to ...
Continue ReadingJohn Yao: In the Now
by AAJ Italy Staff
In the Now, album di debutto del trombonista/compositore/arrangiatore di origine asiatica John Yao fa tornare in mente le incisioni che nel lustro centrale degli anni sessanta portarono la Blue Note Records ad essere un'etichetta di riferimento per comprendere alcune delle direzioni possibili del jazz a venire. Ossia, grande attenzione alla qualità dell'aspetto compositivo, la ricerca all'interno del canone di nuove forme di coniugazione tra scrittura e improvvisazione, apertura verso generi e stili non sempre previsti dall'ortodossia jazzistica, una resa sonora ...
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