out now on Sunnyside Records!

Unstuck in Time: The Kurt Vonnegut Suite

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Out now on club 44 records!

Hand in Hand by Julie Benko & Jason Yeager

What do Kurt Vonnegut, Thelonious Monk, Argentine and Chilean folk music, and the socio-political issues of our time all have in common? They all find their way into the music and mind of pianist-composer Jason Yeager.

Jason recently released two highly acclaimed recordings: Hand in Hand (Club44 Records) with his Broadway actress-singer spouse, Julie Benko; and Unstuck in Time: The Kurt Vonnegut Suite (Sunnyside Records) with his eponymous septet and special guest Miguel Zenón. Highlighted in the New York Times Fall Pop & Jazz preview, Hand in Hand has been hailed as “exquisite” (Times Square Chronicles) and “an impressive outing” (BroadwayWorld). Meanwhile, Unstuck in Time was described as “both complex and highly accessible” (JazzTimes) and “an elaborate valentine to Vonnegut” (Downbeat).

Inspired by the social activism and vision of his mentor, Danilo Pérez, Yeager released the acclaimed 2019 album New Songs of Resistance (Outside in Music), which includes reimagined nueva canción protest songs from South America and original compositions that address contemporary social issues. New York Music Daily called the release “one of the best albums of 2019 in any style of music.”

Originally from the Boston area and now based in New York City, Jason is an active performer on the international scene, having performed across five continents at such venues and festivals as Carnegie Hall, the Blue Note, Smalls Jazz Club, Birdland Jazz Club, Berklee Performance Center, Qintai Concert Hall, Panama Jazz Festival, Festival Internacional de Jazz de Costa Rica, and more.

Yeager was the 1st-place winner of the 2022 Jazz WaHi Jazz Composition Competition, for which he was commissioned to write a five-movement suite based on literature set in or associated with the New York City neighborhood of Washington Heights. He was also the 2nd-place winner of the 2022 Ravenscroft Jazz Piano Competition, and a two-time Finalist of the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition (formerly Great American Jazz Piano Competition). He’s performed and recorded with the likes of Luciana Souza, Ran Blake, Sean Jones, Ayn Inserto, Ben Monder, George Garzone, Jason Palmer, Noah Preminger, and Aubrey Johnson. He regularly gigs around NYC and beyond with artists like Fleur Seule, Randal Despommier, and Jason Anick.

A committed educator, Jason has been teaching piano students from around the world at Berklee College of Music since 2012.

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“...[Jason] always impressed me with his talent, his curiosity and his desire to create his own music while really investigating the jazz piano tradition.” -Fred Hersch, Grammy-nominated pianist/composer and Doris Duke Fellow

“An individualist with a high concept, [Jason Yeager’s] music contains grace and color and a great deal of depth.” -Greg Osby, renowned saxophonist/composer

“An incredible composer and musician...[who] surprises you like a thunderbolt.” -Ran Blake, pianist/composer, MacArthur Fellow

performances