John Yao & His 17-Piece Instrument

For almost twenty years, 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. Yao has earned wide acclaim. In April 2025 he was appointed to the 100th class of Guggenheim Fellows in the field of Music Composition. In 2023, Yao earned a place in both the Rising Star Trombone and Rising Star Big Band categories in the DownBeat Critics Poll. Lucid Culture proclaims, “John Yao is one of New York’s elite trombonists,” and All About Jazz calls him “a strong compositional voice and effective band-leader able to use his 17-piece band to paint across a wide spectrum and infuse his complex writing with a thoughtful balance of audacity, structure, humor, and sonic might.” Masterfully leading and composing the music for both his large and small ensembles, Yao has released five albums as a leader. Yao serves as Assistant Professor of Trombone at Berklee College of Music, Queens College and as Adjunct Professor of Music at Molloy University. He is an XO Brass Clinician and active guest artist and soloist at colleges and universities nationwide and internationally.