Yussef Dayes

Born in South London on December 12, 1992, Yussef Dayes was introduced to music at an early age. His father, a Jamaican Rastafarian bass guitarist, and his mother, a primary school teacher and yoga instructor from Somerset, fostered a creative home environment where all four Dayes brothers learned piano. Yussef received his first drum kit at age four and began performing with his brothers. At ten, he attended a university course by drummer Billy Cobham, whose philosophies on dynamics and intensity profoundly influenced Dayes’s drumming style. His early life, shaped by his family’s artistic pursuits and the cultural landscape of South London, laid the foundation for his distinct musical voice, which blends influences from jazz, reggae, grime, and hip-hop.

Dayes’s career began with United Vibrations, a band formed with his brothers Ahmad and Kareem, and saxophonist Wayne Francis II. The band, known for its Afro-beat stylings infused with jazz and rock, released their first single “Ra!” in 2009. They toured as backing for Aloe Blacc and made a live appearance on “Later… with Jools Holland.” United Vibrations released their debut album, “Galaxies Not Ghettos,” in 2011, followed by the EP “We Never Die” and the album “The Myth of the Golden Ratio” in 2016. In 2016, following the passing of his mother in 2015, Dayes formed Yussef Kamaal with keyboardist Kamaal Williams. Their debut album, “Black Focus,” released on Brownswood Recordings, achieved significant acclaim, reaching number 26 on the Official Charts Company’s Jazz & Blues chart. The duo’s success was short-lived, as Dayes was denied entry to the United States for SXSW in 2017, leading to the dissolution of the group.

Transitioning to a solo career, Dayes established his label, Cashmere Thoughts Recordings, and released the track “Love Is the Message” in 2018. He frequently collaborates with bassist Rocco Palladino and keyboard player Charlie Stacey. In 2020, he partnered with guitarist Tom Misch for the collaborative album “What Kinda Music,” which reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart. Dayes’s solo debut album, “Black Classical Music,” released in 2023 on Brownswood and Nonesuch Records, further solidified his standing as a leading figure in contemporary jazz. The album received critical acclaim and earned him the Best Album Ivor Novello Award in 2024, alongside a Brit Award nomination for Best New Artist. “Black Classical Music” is a testament to his expansive musical vision, drawing on diverse influences and challenging traditional genre classifications.