Yussef Dayes – Chasing The Drum | A COLORS SHOW
South London raised producer, composer, and drummer Yussef Dayes has been a prominent force in the contemporary jazz scene in the UK for the best part of a decade. Starting out as a member of the Afrocentric quartet United Vibrations, he later did a stint as Yussef Kamaal—a duo he formed with the keyboardist Kamaal Williams—before embarking on a solo career. While Dayes’ first solo singles included ‘Love is the Message’ (2018), ‘Blacked Out’ (2018), and ‘Duality’(2019), later on he worked with the likes of Tom Misch, Charlie Stacey, and Rocco palladino on the collaborative albums ‘What Kinda Music’ and ‘Welcome to the Hills’ respectively. In September 2023, Dayes released his acclaimed debut solo studio album ‘Black Classical Music’. Featuring collaborations with COLORS alumni including Masego, Tom Misch, and Jamilah Barry, as well as Rocco Palladino, Venna, Elijah Fox and Alexander Bourt, the 19-track project showcases the artist’s attentive and breathtaking musicianship.
To close out 2023, Yussef Dayes graces the COLORS stage with a masterful rendition of ‘Chasing The Drum’, a highlight from ‘Black Classical Music’. An amalgamation of lively rhythms layer atop one another to create a seamless, cohesive flow that is heightened by the addition of rich and emotive jazz saxophone melodies. Watch the full performance above, and be sure to check out the rest of the album if you haven’t already.