Yussef Dayes

The best young jazz drummer in the UK played DC’s historic Howard Theater, and this was the perfect occasion for 13-year old Charlie’s first concert. Charlie is Audrey’s nephew and an aspiring drummer. After fortifying ourselves at Ben’s Chili Bowl with Half Smokes, we join a young and diverse crowd waiting through a DJ’s set to get to the main show. We positioned our selves in the standing-room-only crowd with some space by the sound board.

It was worth the wait. Yussef’s music, at a surface level, sounds a bit like older “smooth jazz”—flavored by synthesizers and alto sax solos—but updated with hip-hop sounds. Under the surface, intense drums and percussion brew with quiet energy. To punctuate this mix, the band frequently inserts pauses for drum breaks, and Yussef did not disappoint. Every drum solo was precise, technically impressive, and exciting.

Towards the end of the show, I waded through the crowd to get a closer shot. I particular enjoyed a drum solo combining Yussef’s talents with a conga player, who was his equal. Rocco Palladino, the bass player, is also a famous up-and-coming artist. But I thought he played with the bass buried in so many effects that it was hard to appreciate his talent.

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