Trombonist and composer
John Yao debuts his vigorous, thrilling three-horn quintet Triceratops on
adventurous new album How We Do,
out October 18, 2019 on See Tao Recordings, features Yao with master
saxophonists Billy Drewes and Jon Irabagon, along with bassist Peter Brendler and drummer
Mark Ferber
With its
dual saxophone and trombone frontline, John Yao's Triceratops is a force as
formidable as the majestic three-horned dinosaur it's named after - especially
with the thundering voices of Yao's trombone and saxophonists Billy Drewes and
Jon Irabagon front and center.
Triceratops’
debut album, How We Do (set for release on October 18, 2019 via See Tao
Recordings), is the latest showcase for Yao’s composing and arranging gifts,
previously evidenced in his work with his own quintet and his adventurous big
band, the 17-Piece Instrument. Yao’s writing for Triceratops corrals the
audacious virtuosity of the three horn masters, propelled by the vigorous
rhythm tandem of bassist Peter Brendler and drummer Mark Ferber.
Like the
17-Piece Instrument before it, Triceratops’ name suggests multifarious parts
coalescing into a harmonious, organic whole. In his orchestral thinking Yao
echoes Duke Ellington, who famously thought of his renowned band as his
instrument. “The idea is to have different parts coming together into one,” Yao
says. “That was the concept that was in play as I was thinking about these
amazing players and how to bring them together into an organic combination.”
That task is
easier described than accomplished, as Yao discovered as he set out to craft
new music for the ensemble. The Wilmette, Illinois native had previously led a
three-horn band during his five-year stint as a freelancer in Chicago. But that
group included a guitarist, providing the chordal element that Yao
intentionally omitted this time around. That decision provided unique
challenges that the composer embraced, leading to inventive music that walks a
daunting tightrope between robust swing, soaring improvisational flights, and
unexpected melodic twists.
“In any
arranging class you’ll learn that three horns is the hardest combination to
work with in achieving a full sound,” Yao explains. “If you just had one more
voice you can fill out the harmony more clearly, but with three you’re
constantly boxed into corners, so that was a huge challenge orchestrationally,
especially with this group because there’s no piano or guitar. But I like to
set up boundaries for myself to cross. Maybe I just like to make my life
miserable, but the idea is to try to grow as a musician and push my limits.”
Yao had an
unrivaled opportunity to workshop this tricky new music thanks to a monthly
residency at Terraza 7, a club near his home in Queens. Convening the band
every month to experiment with new pieces and revise the music from month to
month, Yao honed the music to the keen, focused form in which it appears on How
We Do.
Another
benefit was his familiarity with the individual voices that he brought together
in Triceratops. Irabagon has been a close collaborator throughout Yao’s career,
appearing on each of the trombonist’s albums to date. Through that relationship
Yao has gained an inspirational familiarity with Irabagon’s vast arsenal of
extended techniques and offbeat instruments as well as his singular approach.
“Jon’s like a Swiss army knife,” Yao jokes. “He can play in any situation you
put him in and thrive; he’s so creative and versatile.”
Yao got to
know Drewes on the bandstand through their work with the legendary Vanguard
Jazz Orchestra, and originally approached the veteran saxophonist to play with
the 17-Piece Instrument. The thought of pairing two such extraordinary
saxophonists provided a major impetus for forming Triceratops. “Drewes plays
alto with a tenor mouthpiece, which is really rare and gives him this unique
fluffy, airy sound,” he says. “I wanted to contrast that with Irabagon, whose
tenor sound can be edgy, crisp and fiery.
Brendler is
another frequent partner, both in Yao’s bands – he’s recorded on several of the
trombonist’s albums – and at Terraza 7, where the two co-host a monthly jam
session. The bandleader has worked with Ferber in a variety of contexts, though
always under other musicians’ leadership, so wanted to invite the stellar
drummer into his own ensemble. The pair’s bracing hook-up comes to the fore on
the album’s second track, “Triceratops Blues,” which moves with the implacable
power of the titular beast.
The album
opens with “Three Parts as One,” reinforcing the group’s central idea with its
deft weave of the tripartite frontline. The title track, “How We Do,” shines
the spotlight on Brendler’s agile virtuosity before the horns are set free for
a triangular juggling act later in the piece. Defying the harmonic challenges
of the instrumentation, “The Golden Hour” evokes the warm, rich hues of that
spectacular sunset moment so ideal for photographers. The jolting stroll of
“Doin’ the Thing” takes its name from a favorite jazz-cat description of a
working musician’s life that, Yao says, “in a weird way means nothing but
totally makes sense.”
The tender
“Circular Path” is a tribute to a friend and fellow trombonist that recently
returned home to his native Japan after 20 years in the States, while “Two
Sides” generates thrilling friction from two contrasting time feels. The album
concludes with Jon Irabagon’s composition “Tea for T,” which reveals the joy
that the band finds in playing together as it ends on a tongue-in-cheek race at
a blistering tempo.
On How We
Do, John Yao’s Triceratops one-ups its prehistoric namesake, not only wielding
its three horns with staggering power and monumental beauty, but speaking in
one eloquent voice as well.
For over a
decade, 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. All
About Jazz calls him “an evolving artist who continues to grow at a rapid
pace.” Yao has released two albums with his Quintet – his 2012 debut, In the
Now, and 2017’s Presence – as well as Flip-Flop, with his big band John Yao and
His 17-Piece Instrument. As a trombonist, Yao has worked extensively as a
sideman for Grammy-award winning New York City ensembles, such as the Vanguard
Jazz Orchestra and Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra. He has
also performed with such esteemed and acclaimed musicians as Paquito D’Rivera,
Eddie Palmieri, Danilo Perez, Chris Potter and Kurt Elling, among many
others. Yao is a staff arranger for the
JMI Jazz World Orchestra and has been commissioned by the Afro-Latin Jazz
Orchestra among many other ensembles. He
is currently an Adjunct Faculty at Molloy College and Queens College.
No comments:
Post a Comment