Jason Yarde | |
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Born | 1970 (age 53–54) Beckenham, England |
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, arranger, producer, music director |
Instrument(s) | Saxophones |
Formerly of | Jazz Warriors; Tomorrow's Warriors |
Jason Yarde (born 1970) is an English jazz saxophonist, composer, arranger, producer and music director. He has worked with a wide range of artists and music ensembles, including Denys Baptiste, The Blind Boys Of Alabama, McCoy Tyner, Andrew Hill, Jack DeJohnette, Hugh Masekela and the London Symphony Orchestra. [1] [2]
Yarde was born in 1970 in Beckenham, England, to Guyanese parents. [3] While still a teenager at school, [4] he began playing alto and soprano saxophone with the Jazz Warriors, and went on to become their music director. [5] He was member of Anthony Tidd’s Quite Sane band, which won the Capital Radio band of the year award at in 1992. [6]
Yarde has also been associated with Tomorrow's Warriors since it was started, [7] including leading the award-winning J-Life quintet, featuring vocalist Julie Dexter. [8] [9]
Yarde studied at Middlesex University, obtaining a BA (Hons) in Performance Arts; the degree incorporated a year at William Paterson College, New Jersey, studying orchestration, studio engineering, jazz performance and saxophone under Joe Lovano, Gary Smulyan and Steve Wilson. [5]
In 2007, Yarde's work All Souls Seek Joy was premiered by Hugh Masekela and the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Centre. [10] His BBC Proms composition Rhythm and Other Fascinations, for piano trio and the BBC Concert Orchestra, won the inaugural BASCA award for contemporary Jazz Composition in 2009. [11]