Jason Yarde & Andrew McCormack

Event information

Pianist, Andrew McCormack and saxophonist, Jason Yarde played their first gig together as a duo at the Vortex in the summer of 2008 and have since gone on to become one of the premier UK duo groups. Their first album, ‘MY DUO’ (JoY AnD EaRs-2009) featured compositions from both Yarde and McCormack and was followed by ‘Places And Other Spaces’ in 2011 (Edition Records); both received critical accolades internationally.

As they prepare to release their third album featuring the Elysian String Quartet next year, they return once again to the Vortex to celebrate 5 years as a group.

Andrew McCormack launched his solo career with his debut album, 'Telescope' in 2006 winning the prestigious BBC Jazz award for Rising Star. An active composer in Jazz, Classical and Film music, he studied privately with Mark-Anthony Turnage and has written for many ensembles including the London Symphony Orchestra which commissioned Incentive, a ten-minute work for full orchestra premiered at the Barbican in 2009. In 2012, he released 'Live In London' showcasing his new trio which was critically acclaimed across the board (**** 4 stars - The Guardian; “High emotional intensity beautifully delivered” **** - York Press).

Jason Yarde began playing saxes in the Jazz Warriors as a teenager going on to direct and become one of its principal writers. As a producer, musical director, arranger and musician, he has worked with Hermeto Pascoal to 4hero, Plan B to Britten Sinfonia, Keziah Jones to Kronos Quartet and Jonzi-D to Jack DeJohnette. As a composer his flugelhorn concerto, All Souls Seek Joy was premiered by the legendary Hugh Masekela and the LSO in 2007 and his BBC Proms compositional début, Rhythm And Other Fascinations, won the first ever BASCA award for contemporary Jazz Composition in 2009. ("Swing, hip-hop, improv, you name it, he can make it all sound as if it was meant to live together" The Guardian).