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 for big band. 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. Yao’s compositions and arrangements are post-bop, experimental and aim to explore new sounds for big band. The Midwest Record proclaims JY-17 debut album Flip-Flop (See Tao Recordings) “A must set for big band fans that want to hear something that takes the form in to the future, this blows the ears open in a mighty way”. Downbeat says, "[Flip-Flop] showcased Yao's unpredictable compositions and inventive arrangements, which spring from tradition while pointing toward future portals." 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.

Featuring:

Saxes: Michael Thomas, Hashem Assadullahi, Tim Armacost, Remy LeBouf, Frank Basile

Trumpets: Nick Marchione, John Walsh, Dave Neves, Dave Smith

Trombones: Matt McDonald, Mark Patterson, Jimmy O'Connell, Reggie Chapman

Rhythm Section: Randy Ingram, Robert Sabin, Vince Cherico