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. 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. Downbeat says, "[Flip-Flop] showcased Yao's unpredictable compositions and inventive arrangements, which spring from tradition while pointing toward future portals."

Featuring:

John Yao - Conductor, Trombone

Saxes:

Billy Drewes

Hashem Assadullahi

Jeremy Powell

Jasper Dutz

Frank Basile

Trumpets:

Nick Marchione

John Lake

Charlie Porter

David Neves

Trombones:

Matt McDonald

Mark Patterson

Sam Blakeslee

Max Seigel

Rhythm Section:

Hyuna Dunkel

Bob Sabin

Andy Watson