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Musician

John Yao

Born:

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.”

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Article: Year in Review

Popular Jazz Songs: 2025

Read "Popular Jazz Songs: 2025" reviewed by Michael Ricci


All About Jazz tracks how often a featured song is heard, and the following represent the most popular in 2025. If you missed them the first time around, give them a listen now, and enjoy! I'll Be Always With You From: Alma Libre By Arturo Sandoval Tutu From: ...

Album

Points In Time

Label: See Tao Recordings
Released: 2025
Track listing: Upside; Not Even Close; Triceratops Blues; First Step; The Other Way; Early Morning Walk; Song For Nolan; Finger Painting.

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Article: Year in Review

Jack Bowers' Best Jazz Albums Of 2025

Read "Jack Bowers' Best Jazz Albums Of 2025" reviewed by Jack Bowers


2025: Another year which proves that jazz is not only alive and well but flourishing in its own little corner of the musical world. The number of splendid new recordings by groups large and small was as plentiful as ever and, even better, spanned the globe from the U.S. to Europe, Asia to Latin America, and ...

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Song of the Day

Not Even Close

Album:
By
Label: See Tao Recordings
Released: 2025
Duration: 8:16

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Article: Radio & Podcasts

R.I.P. Louis Moholo-Moholo

Read "R.I.P. Louis Moholo-Moholo" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


This program includes the work of the late drummer Louis Moholo-Moholo, the last surviving member of the South African group, the Blue Notes and a great contributor to the British jazz scene. The show also features music by Joe Lovano, John Yao, and Claire Ritter. Playlist Henry Threadgill Sextett “I Can't Wait Till I ...

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Article: Album Review

John Yao and His 17 Piece Instrument: Points In Time

Read "Points In Time" reviewed by Jack Bowers


The insuperable spirit of swinging big-band jazz is everywhere apparent on Points in Time, the seventh recording by New York-based composer, arranger and trombonist John Yao, and the second with his marvelous 17-Piece Instrument, a decade after its well-received debut, Flip-Flop. (See Tao, 2015). As on that earlier album, the playlist consists of ...

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Article: Radio & Podcasts

Beyond the Notes: Points of Time

Read "Beyond the Notes: Points of Time" reviewed by David Bixler


Ten years after his release Flip-Flop, John Yao returns with Points of Time, a new recording that showcases his significant growth as both a composer and improviser. The album draws inspiration from deeply personal experiences, specifically his wife's battle with cancer and the subsequent birth of their son after her recovery. Yao has brought together an ...

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Article: Radio & Podcasts

Meet Ola Onabulé

Read "Meet Ola Onabulé" reviewed by Cheryl K.


In this hour, an interview with British-Nigerian singer-songwriter Ola Onabulé and his Rugged Ram Records release Proof of Life. Also, cuts from new releases by trombonist and composer John Yao and His 17-Piece Instrument, singer-songwriter Paloma Dineli Chesky and guitarist Toby Wren's Standards Trio. Playlist John Yao and His 17-Piece Instrument “The Other Way" ...

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Article: Album Review

John Yao and his 17 Piece Instrument: Points In Time

Read "Points In Time" reviewed by Pierre Giroux


Trombonist and composer John Yao presents a heartfelt and personal retrospective with Points In Time. This ambitious album delves deeply into the emotional and professional journey he has undertaken over the past twenty years in New York City. Leading his precisely coordinated ensemble, aptly called His 17-Piece Instrument, comprised of talented musicians from various points along ...


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