Yussef Dayes

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Yussef Dayes
Dayes in 2011
Background information
Born (1993-12-12) 12 December 1993 (age 30)
London, England
Occupation(s)Composer
InstrumentsDrums
Years active2009–present
LabelsBrownswood, Blue Note, Nonesuch
Formerly ofYussef Kamaal
Children1
Websitehttps://yussefdayes.com/

Yussef Dayes (born 12 December 1993), is an English drummer and composer who is prominent in the South London contemporary jazz scene.[1]

He is known for his work with keyboardist Kamaal Williams, releasing the 2016 album Black Focus as the duo Yussef Kamaal, and with English singer and guitarist Tom Misch, releasing the 2020 collaborative album What Kinda Music. Dayes released his debut solo album Black Classical Music on 8 September 2023.

Personal life[edit]

Dayes was born in South East London on 12 December 1993.[1][2][3] His mother, who was from Somerset, worked as a primary school teacher and yoga instructor.[2] His father, of Jamaican Rastafarian descent, worked as a merchant and played the bass guitar.[2] Both parents built the family house Dayes grew up in.[4] He is the youngest of four brothers, Ahmad, Jamal and Kareem, and they were all taught piano.[5] Dayes' father gave him his first drum kit when he was 4 years old, and Dayes began performing with his brothers.[1][6][5] At ten years old, he stayed with his grandparents in Bath to attend a university course by drummer Billy Cobham.[2] Dayes has one daughter.[4] His mother died in 2015.[4]

Career[edit]

2009–2016: United Vibrations[edit]

Dayes formed the band United Vibrations with brothers Ahmad on trombone, Kareem on bass, and their friend saxophonist Wayne Francis II where they played "Afro-beat stylings with forward-looking jazz and rock".[1][2][7][8] They released their first single "Ra!" in 2009.[1] The band worked as a backing band for Aloe Blacc while on his UK tour. The same year, they made a live appearance on Later... with Jools Holland.[2] United Vibrations released their debut album Galaxies Not Ghettos in 2011. This was followed by the 2012 EP We Never Die and the album The Myth of the Golden Ratio (2016).[1]

2016–2017: Yussef Kamaal[edit]

Dayes met keyboardist Kamaal Williams in 2007. The two kept in touch and played together on occasion, but upon rehearsing William's solo work for a Boiler Room gig, they started playing as a band.[9] In 2016, the band performed a 20-minute live set at Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards, after which Peterson landed them a deal at his Brownswood Recordings record label.[10][11] Under the label, the band released their only studio album Black Focus on 4 November and reached number 26 in the Official Charts Company's Jazz & Blues chart.[12] Thom Jurek of AllMusic described the album as having "spiritual jazz funk, broken beat, and global sounds".[10] Dayes said that when the album was recorded that it maintained its "importance of core jazz principles of spontaneity and flow".[13]

In March 2017, shortly before the band's scheduled performance at the SXSW music festival, Yussef Kamaal were refused entry to the United States after Dayes' visa was revoked in accordance with an executive immigration order implemented by the Trump administration.[5][14] On 4 May 2017, they issued a statement that "for private and unforeseen reasons the original line up of Yussef Kamaal will no longer perform together".[15]

2018–present: Black Classical Music and other releases[edit]

Dayes released his own track "Love Is the Message" under Cashmere Records,[7] and the live albums Welcome to the Hills and Live at Joshua Tree.[16] On his solo work, he often plays with bassist Rocco Palladino and keyboard player Charlie Stacey.[6]

Dayes along with guitarist Tom Misch released a collaborative record titled What Kinda Music, under Blue Note Records on 24 April 2020. Charlotte Krol of NME considered the album "a smooth, intuitive coagulation of sounds spanning acid jazz, hip-hop and electronica"[17] Dayes saw his first appearance in the UK Albums Chart, as the album reached number 4.[18]

On 8 September 2023, Dayes released his debut solo album Black Classical Music on Brownswood, and Nonesuch Records in the United States.[19][20] Uncut called it "an expansive, soulful set that embraces modern West Coast fusion, Hancock-style funk, psychedelic soul-jazz and more",[21] while Robin Murray of Clash considered the album as a "musical autobiography of a musician central to the ongoing development of UK jazz".[22]

Artistry[edit]

Dayes' initially took influence from his father's jazz and reggae records, his mother's love for country music and the Beatles, and from Ahmad producing jungle music. He additionally found inspiration growing up listening to grime and hip-hop, "That same energy and those different flows, I put into my drums."[7]

Discography[edit]

Solo work[edit]

With United Vibrations[edit]

  • Galaxies Not Ghettos (2011)
  • The Myth of the Golden Ratio (2016)

With Yussef Kamaal[edit]

With Tom Misch[edit]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Awards Category Nominee Result Ref
2024 Brit Awards Best New Artist Himself Nominated [23]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wilkinson, James. "Yussef Dayes Biography, Songs, & Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Thapar, Ciaran (8 October 2023). "Jazz star Yussef Dayes: 'Other people had David Beckham as their hero – I had the drummer Billy Cobham'". The Observer. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  3. ^ Dayes, Yussef. "12th December ~ My Earthday". Retrieved 12 December 2023 – via Instagram.
  4. ^ a b c Kazandjian, Robert. "Daddy Issues: Yussef Dayes. In the second instalment of our column on fatherhood, we talk to the musician about loss, memories and the clarity that comes with parenthood". Huck. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Tsioulcas, Anastasia. "Three More SXSW-Bound Bands Denied Entry Into The U.S." NPR. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  6. ^ a b Mike, Vinti. "Yussef Dayes is at the heart of the new generation of UK jazz players". Crack. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b c Anon. "Yussef Dayes Musician". All About Jazz. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  8. ^ Chinen, Nate. "Get To Know London's Thriving Jazz Scene (By Way Of Austin, Texas)". NPR. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
  9. ^ Jurek, Thom. "Yussef Kamaal | Biography & History". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 17 November 2020. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  10. ^ a b Jurek, Thom. "Black Focus Review". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 22 November 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  11. ^ Weiner, Natalie (2018-05-25). "Kamaal Williams And 'The Return' Of Acid Jazz". Vinyl Me Please. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  12. ^ "Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart on 25/11/2016". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  13. ^ Ammar, Kalia (7 November 2016). "Clash Magazine Review". Clash. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  14. ^ "Yussef Kamaal and United Vibrations barred from entering America". Jazz FM. Archived from the original on 7 October 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  15. ^ Murray, Robin (4 May 2017). "Yussef Kamaal To Perform Separately". Clash. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  16. ^ "Yussef Dayes Announces Debut Solo Album, 'Black Classical Music,' Due September 8 | Nonesuch Records". Nonesuch Records. 27 April 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  17. ^ Krol, Charlotte (23 April 2020). "Tom Misch and Yussef Dayes – 'What Kinda Music' review: probably more fun to make than it is to hear". NME. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  18. ^ "What Kinda Music". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  19. ^ Sacher, Andrew (27 April 2023). "UK jazz musician Yussef Dayes announces debut solo studio LP 'Black Classical Music,' shares title track". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  20. ^ Staff. (23 June 2023). "Yussef Dayes to Release Debut Album on Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Recordings". XLR8R. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  21. ^ "Yussef Dayes – Black Classical Music". Uncut. November 2023. p. 26.
  22. ^ Murray, Robin (18 September 2023). "Yussef Dayes – Black Classical Music | Reviews". Clash. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  23. ^ music, Guardian (2024-03-02). "Brit awards 2024 – full list of winners". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-03-06.
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