Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » John Yao and His 17 Piece Instrument: Points In Time

John Yao and His 17 Piece Instrument: Points In Time

By Jack Bowers
August 4, 2025
View read count

John Yao and His 17 Piece Instrument: Points In Time

The insuperable spirit of swinging big-band jazz is everywhere apparent on Points in Time, the seventh recording by New York-based composer, arranger and trombonist

John Yao

trombone
b.1977

" data-original-title="" title="">John Yao, and the second with his marvelous 17-Piece Instrument, a decade after its well-received debut, Flip-Flop. (See Tao, 2015).

As on that earlier album, the playlist consists of seven of Yao's original compositions (and one outlier) written with the band in mind to exemplify in musical terms experiences and emotions Yao has undergone in the twenty years since he left his native Chicago and moved to the Big Apple. These include two that strike quite close to home: the casual "Early Morning Walk," written during his wife Natalie's (successful) battle with cancer, and the melodious "Song for Nolan," a handsome salute to the couple's young son. A third, "Finger Painting," which rings down the album's curtain, is Yao's arrangement of

Herbie Hancock

piano
b.1940

" data-original-title="" title="">Herbie Hancock's composition of that name.

Yao is a splendid composer whose command of the contemporary big-band idiom is exemplary and whose keen and colorful charts swing easily and often. The tunes are consistently engaging, the ensemble letter-perfect, and Yao's clever background riffs offer a charming counterpoint for the band's array of stellar soloists. Yao gives them ample time to improvise, and no one lets him down. Trumpeter

David Smith

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">David Smith and tenor saxophonist

Tim Armacost

saxophone, tenor
b.1962

" data-original-title="" title="">Tim Armacost light the torch on the powerful opening number, "Upside," while bassist

Robert Sabin

bass
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Robert Sabin, alto Hassem Assadullahi and trombonist

Sam Blakeslee

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Sam Blakeslee keep it burning high on "Not Even Close," Yao's prismatic tribute to trumpeter

Thad Jones

trumpet
1923 - 1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Thad Jones, in whose orchestra he once played.

The tempo slows on the pensive "Triceratops Blues" (sharp solos courtesy of alto

Billy Drewes

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Drewes and bass trombonist

Max Seigel

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Max Seigel) before resuming its rapid pace on "First Step," on which Drewes, this time on soprano, delivers an awesome solo that leads to robust statements by trombonist

Nick Vayenas

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Nick Vayenas and trumpeter

David Neves

" data-original-title="" title="">David Neves. Yao solos with Perry on "The Other Way," a digression into the realm of twelve-tone form, and with pianist

Hyuna Park

piano
b.1984

" data-original-title="" title="">Hyuna Park on "Early Morning Walk." Perry, baritone

Carl Maraghi

saxophone, baritone

" data-original-title="" title="">Carl Maraghi and trombonist

Matt McDonald

trombone

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt McDonald (the last two trading stalwart volleys) are the soloists on "Song for Nolan," Park and trumpeter

John Lake

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">John Lake on "Finger Painting."

Yao, already a respected composer and arranger, has taken a large step forward here. Flip-Flop, his first album leading the well-oiled 17-Piece Instrument, was impressive; Points in Time is even better, and is warmly recommended.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Upside; Not Even Close; Triceratops Blues; First Step; The Other Way; Early Morning Walk; Song For Nolan; Finger Painting.

Personnel

John Yao

trombone

Hyuna Park

piano

Robert Sabin

bass

Andy Watson

drums

Hashem Assadullahi

saxophone

Rich Perry

saxophone, tenor

Tim Armacost

saxophone, tenor

John Lake

trumpet

David Smith

trumpet

Matt McDonald

trombone

Sam Blakeslee

trombone

Max Seigel

trombone

Additional Instrumentation

Billy Drewes, Carl Maragi: saxophones. Nick Marchione, David Neves, David Smith: trumpets & flugelhorn. Nick Vayenas, trombones.

Album information

Title: Points In Time | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: See Tao Recordings

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Mind Explosion
< Previous

Walk A Mile In My Shoe
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.