News
New Project: Let’s Make Some Noise
Let’s Make Some Noise is a participatory workshop and concert experience centered around big band music where the audience aren’t just observers— they are active contributors to the music and the performance. The workshops trace the evolution of big band music — from swing-era dance music to modern jazz orchestras to contemporary, avant-garde and even atonal music— with participation built in at every step. Please join us for one of the upcoming workshops.
FEATURE IN CUNY LAUREATES SERIES
points in Time Among DOwnbeat BEST of 2025
“Points in Time by John Yao and His 17-Piece Instrument is more than a hard-swinging recording from an ace large ensemble led by a forward-thinking composer-arranger (and distinguished trombone voice). It’s also a commemoration of tandem anniversaries currently at the forefront of Yao’s memory: his arrival on the New York jazz scene 20 years ago, and the 10 years that have passed since he released his first big band album, the acclaimed Flip-Flop. Inspired by these two milestones, the album is informed by a number of professional and deeply personal experiences that have marked his two decades as a bandleader and sideman in the Big Apple. The music reveals the major strides Yao and his collaborators have taken since Flip-Flop made the JY-17 a widely known entity in the lineage of the iconic Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. . . .” — Ed Enright, DownBeat
What The Press is saying
★★★★ “… Yao, already a respected composer and arranger has taken a large step forward here. Flip-Flop, his first album leading the well-oiled 17-piece Instrument was impressive: Points in Time is even better and warmly recommended.” — Jack Bowers, All About Jazz
“An immersive musical experience. Each track offers both artistic sophistication and genuine emotional resonance…a triumphant return, an artist reclaiming his voice, his vision, and the wide open space of the big band format, and making it sing once more.” —Thierry De Clement, Paris Move
“Yao puts on full display why he’s a recently named Guggenheim Fellow.” — Craig Byrd, Cultural Attache
“Yao reminds us that big band jazz still has something to say and that sometimes, the biggest statements come from the most personal places.” — Tim Larsen, Jazz Views
“A fascinating work that shows how vibrant, exciting and innovative orchestral jazz can sound today.”— Jacek Burn, Jazz Fun
“This work is not just a big band recording but a meditation on growth, struggle and creative clarity.”— Pierre Giroux, All About Jazz
“This new one is terrific. The arrangements are tight, the band wins and the solos are excellent. John’s trombone is spry and mellow, and best of all, he composed and arranged all eight pieces.” — Marc Myers, Jazz Wax
“It’s simply a lot of fun and will appeal to more than just dedicated big band fans.”—Christopher Giese, NRW Jazz
Purchase original works anD arrangements for big band
store
I am thrilled to share that many of my original works and arrangements for large jazz ensemble are now available directly through my site. Included is the music from “Flip-Flop” as well as arrangements by different composers in a variety of styles and skill levels. I am always adding new charts, so please check back and see what’s new. If you don’t find anything you like, feel free to contact me.
New Arrangements
Original works
John Yao is a 2025 Guggenheim Fellow in Music Composition and one of the premier trombonists, composers, and arrangers on the New York City jazz scene. Over the past two decades, Yao has distinguished himself through his lyrical soloing, expressive round tone, and relentless drive to push the boundaries of harmony and rhythm, establishing a uniquely forward-thinking musical voice. He has been hailed as “one of New York’s elite trombonists and…a first-class, ambitious, and witty composer and leader” (Lucid Culture), and his work has been described as “boldly diverse…cutting across the swath of contemporary jazz’s field” (All About Jazz).
Yao’s artistry has earned him wide recognition. In 2023-24, he was named in both the Rising Star Trombone and Rising Star Big Band categories of the DownBeat Critics Poll. He has built an extensive body of work through collaborations with ensembles and performers worldwide and has released six recordings as a bandleader—each showcasing his bold, boundary-pushing compositions for small groups and large ensembles. His latest album “Points in Time” was an Editor’s Pick and voted Best of 2025 by DownBeat Magazine.