PHOTOS: Yussef Dayes, International Megastar With A Jazz Ear, To Perform At REXKL On Nov 25th

By Lara Kramer  •  14 Nov 2022 in Features

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A memorable evening is guaranteed when one of the UK’s most dynamic and inventive young drummers, singer/songwriters, and producers, YUSSEF DAYES, performs at REXKL on November 25, 2022…

The first of many cultural events that Collective Minds Asia and RK Live Asia will be hosting is this one. Some of the most intriguing artists will visit the capital thanks to the promotional team.

“We are excited to announce Yussef Dayes’ debut performance in Kuala Lumpur on November 25 at REXKL, the city’s most electrifying event location.

“One of the rising stars of the South London jazz scene, he and his band have captivated audiences with his musicianship and artistry as well as their visual prowess. One should not pass up the chance to see him and his band perform live as it will be a feast on all senses,” quips Zaran Vachha of Collective Minds Asia and Rahul Kukreja of RK Live Asia.

Check out this gallery of his coolest pics:

Since he can remember, Yussef has been actively involved in the jazz scene. His sound has been evolving ever since his father gave him his first drum set when he was four years old. He is most recognised for his work with his siblings in United Vibrations and for being one half of the energising duo Yussef Kamaal.

Yussef was born and raised in South East London, where he practised constantly as a child.

“My parents were rigorous; if I was going to do something, I had to take it seriously,” he said.

The Dayes brothers all grew up on jazz records that his father, a bass player in New York in the 1970s, brought home. Yussef and his bassist brother Kareem would jam along to their dad’s songs for hours at a time. Before studying under Miles Davis’ drummer Billy Cobham when he was ten, this was the closest he ever came to formal jazz instruction. This, in Yussef’s opinion, had the greatest influence on his development.

Many of Yussef’s classmates at school were aspiring rappers, and he attributes a significant amount of grime and hip-hop influence to his work: “That same energy and those various flows, I put into my drums.”

There was good music in every room, thanks to his late mother’s love of the Beatles and country music, his Jamaican father’s reggae collection, and his brother Ahmad’s passion for jungle tracks. This diversity of taste, combined with sounds picked up while travelling (especially time spent in Senegal), is perceivable in his awe inspiring conjunction of sounds.

From an early age, these many influences would be presented in a live context. Yussef Kamaal was born in 2015, solidifying him as one of the UK scene’s essential musicians. Together with fellow Londoner Kamaal Williams, they formed the duet Black Focus, whose 2016 album would go on to become one of the most celebrated jazz records in recent memory by fusing US and UK styles.

The record, which has a silver certification, brought the duo the 2017 Jazz FM award for Best Breakthrough Act. Both bands have contributed to the development of Yussef’s thrilling, lightning-quick live presence (he refers to it as an alter-ego, “the beast” that takes over when he’s playing), thanks to their enthusiastic performances.

Yussef’s spectacular first solo track, Love Is The Message, was self-released on Cashmere Thoughts in 2018. After that, in 2019, Yussef’s solo career flourished with the release of an AA single called DUALITY, which featured the songs For My Ladies and Othello.

Yussef’s collaboration with none other than the late Virgil Abloh and Benji B to sound track and curate the Louis Vuitton dinner show for Paris Men’s Fashion Week in January 2019 is a testament to the depth and scope of his work in 2019.

What Kinda Music, a collaborative album by Yussef and fellow artist Tom Misch from South East London, was published in 2020 on the venerable jazz label Blue Note.

The well crafted record checked off all the categories and had a tremendously broad appeal. It achieved widespread popularity, peaking at number four on the UK Official Charts and impressively taking the top spot for Current Contemporary Jazz Album on the US Billboard Charts. The following year, Yussef releases his solo live album, Welcome to the Hills, continuing his successful streak.

The future holds more of those towering, grandiose, and nuanced soundscapes that don’t quite feel similar to anything else, so it will be a thrilling period. With a new album on the way, the trendy musician adds, “I am delighted to show Kuala Lumpur what I am about. Drumming is a method of speaking and expressing oneself, and there’s no doubt Yussef Dayes will be the one leading the conversation.”

Tickets will be available for purchase starting on Friday, November 12, 2022, at noon using this website. General admission tickets are RM280, while early bird tickets are RM220 (terms and conditions apply). Please visit www.yussefdayes.com for more information about Yussef Dayes.