After a decade-long hiatus, trombonist, composer, and bandleader John Yao is back with his acclaimed large ensemble, John Yao & His 17-Piece Instrument, affectionately dubbed JY-17. Their long-anticipated sophomore album, Points in Time, arrives July 11, 2025, via See Tao Recordings, and it's a powerful, deeply personal celebration of Yao’s 20-year musical journey in New York City.
But fans won't have to wait until the release to experience the music: an Album Preview Concert will be held June 26, 2025, at Culture Lab LIC—a must-see event for lovers of bold, modern big band jazz.
A Two-Decade Story in Sound
Points in Time is more than just a new big band record. It’s a musical memoir. From the early excitement of arriving in NYC, to the trials of personal adversity, to the joy of fatherhood, each composition captures key moments from Yao’s life.
“So much of what’s happened over the last 20 years has definitely sparked different emotions that I’ve wanted to express in my music,” Yao shares. “Sometimes those experiences and complex emotions take time to marinate, but ultimately they find their way into my writing and playing.”
That introspection can be heard throughout the album. The elegant and emotional “Early Morning Walk” reflects on his wife Natalie’s fight against cancer, while the joyful “Song for Nolan” celebrates the birth of their son.
Revisiting Roots, Reinventing Sound
In the years since his 2015 debut Flip-Flop, Yao explored other musical avenues—co-leading a sextet and developing his adventurous three-horn group Triceratops. Yet the big band itch never left him.
“I fell in love with big band music playing in the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra,” says Yao. “There’s just something special about the sound, the camaraderie—it lifts the music in a way that’s hard to describe.”
On Points in Time, Yao revisits and reinvents earlier small-group pieces for the full force of a 17-piece ensemble. Highlights include:
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“Not Even Close” – A nod to Thad Jones and the classic big band interplay of brass and saxes
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“First Step” – A long-shelved composition finally getting the big band treatment it was always destined for
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“Triceratops Blues” – The brooding first composition for his three-horn project, now expanded in scope and depth
The album also features updated versions of two student commissions: “Upside” and a big-band arrangement of Herbie Hancock’s “Finger Painting”—a testament to Yao’s connection with the next generation of jazz musicians.
The Ensemble: A Band Built Over Time
JY-17 isn’t just a band—it’s a timeline of Yao’s career. Many members have played pivotal roles in his life:
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Tim Armacost – a fellow Queens College alum
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Matt McDonald – a friend from Yao’s early Chicago days
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Billy Drewes, Rich Perry, Nick Marchione, Andy Watson – veterans of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, where Yao often subbed
Several musicians return from Flip-Flop, including Perry, McDonald, trumpeter David Smith, and bassist Robert Sabin—bringing both history and chemistry to the sessions recorded in February 2024.
Why It Took So Long
Yao admits that recording a big band album is a herculean effort.
“The funny thing about recording a big band album,” he writes in the liner notes, “is that it makes you want to never do it again! Every note somehow feels worth the struggle, but after the first album I was burned out from pushing that boulder up the hill.”
Yet the creative fire never died. And with Points in Time, Yao delivers a record that’s at once steeped in big band tradition and unafraid to push boundaries—evident in tracks like “The Other Way,” which explores twelve-tone technique in a jazz context.
A Career Still Ascending
In 2023, Yao was recognized in the DownBeat Critics Poll in both the Rising Star Trombone and Rising Star Big Band categories. In April 2025, he was appointed to the 100th class of Guggenheim Fellows in Music Composition—proof of his continued evolution as an artist.
As Alan Young of Lucid Culture puts it:
“John Yao is one of New York’s elite trombonists and is also a first-class, ambitious, and witty composer and leader.”
And as All About Jazz notes:
“Boldly diverse, Yao’s compositions cut across the swath of contemporary jazz’s field.”
Final Thoughts
Points in Time is not just a big band comeback—it’s a moving, sonically rich tapestry of a life lived in jazz. Whether you’ve followed John Yao since the early days or are discovering his work for the first time, this album promises an unforgettable experience.
Mark your calendars:
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Album Release: July 11, 2025 (See Tao Recordings)
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Album Preview Concert: June 26, 2025 at Culture Lab LIC
Don’t miss your chance to witness the evolution of one of modern jazz’s most innovative composers and his triumphant return to the big band stage.
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