I'm going to go out and say it, Yussef Dayes is the greatest jazz drummer of our generation.
Picture the scene. It's a chilly autumn night in Brighton. You're down on the sea front. It's windy. You're going to a gig. You rock up and roll in. Grab a pint. Surprisingly well priced for nice venue you think to yourself. You move on into the crowd and set up for the night. You're about to see the first night of Yussef Dayes' Black Classical Music tour, supporting the album of the same name. The album that is the best jazz record of the year so far, potentially the best album of any genre of the year so far. Expectations are high. The anticipation in the room is palpable. Will he live up to the greatest of the record?
This was one of the best shows I've witnessed this year featuring some of the strongest musicianship that the earths stages have to offer in 2023. Now I'm obviously throwing a lot of superlatives around here. Maybe you're asking hey, we get it, you like Yussef Dayes but where's the evidence? Why should I give him a try? Just cos GROAT said so? For real? Well let me break it down for you:
It is a fact that Yussef is an amazing musician himself. You need look no further than his flawless discography from Black Focus with Yussef Kamaal to his fantastic outing with mr Tom Misch, What Kinda Music. But who should Yussef choose to fill the band for the tour to accompany his musicianship? Rocco Palladino (son of the legendary Pino Palladino) on bass, Elijah Fox on keys, Venna on saxophone, Alex Bourt on percussion and Ivy Alexander on guitar. I'm not going to run through all the major credits these world class musicians have but rest assured it does not get better than this group of musicians.
Moving onto the setlist it stays amazing. Pieces from across Yussef's career turned up here all featuring some of the best grooves you can find. Infectious and danceable it was bangers only front to back. We were even blessed a cover of potentially my favourite bass piece of all time "Portrait of Tracy", with Rocco Palladino effortlessly delivering the harmonic beauty of the song.
I've done enough gushing in this review, potentially to incoherent levels, but if you have one take away after reading this please go and listen to Black Classical Music whether you're a jazz head or not and keep posted on whatever this man does next because rest assured it will be beautiful.