Yaad & Abroad Soundsystem perform at the Jazz Station in Eugene

• Buddy Jay Keifer tenor saxophone
• Brandon Pressley trombone
• Ciro Magnani piano, keyboards
• Tony Soltero guitar
• Eli Hansen bass
• Andrew Yates drums, percussion
• Featuring: Emmanuel Gozah alto saxophone

The Jazz Station's One Set Wednesday concert series aims to spotlight emerging student musicians. This evening showcases percussionist Andrew Yates and his project Yaad & Abroad Soundsystem. Afterwards trumpeter Paul Krueger will host a second set jam session. The Yaad and Abroad Soundsystem (pronounced “Yahd n’ Abrahd”) is a visionary confluence of two typically disparate worlds that bandleader Andrew Yates often finds himself in- the worlds of Jazz and Reggae. “Yaad” refers to the Jamaican Patwah term for Jamaica, while “Abroad” implies any music from around the world that speaks both to the spirit and moves the body. The relaxed, carefree and dance-friendly Caribbean musical spirit combined with the ever-evolving, storytelling improvisational nature of jazz music forms the core ethos of this group and as such, allows this group to feel equally at home whether in a jazz club or a reggae festival!. Infusing a fresh improvisational vibe and a Caribbean tang with dance-friendly music from around the world, the Yaad and Abroad Soundsystem is on a mission to unite the peoples of the world with a joyful sound and a positive message of unconditional love, freedom and hope for all mankind.  Sounds of the evening will include classic tunes from Jamaican Jazz pioneers such as Ernest Ranglin, Lester Sterling and the Skatalites, as well as fresh improvisational takes on songs by artists including but not limited to: Nujabes/Uyama Hiroto (Japan), George Petrie (Ireland), Gyedu-blay Ambolley (Ghana), Mulatu Astatke (Ethiopia). Equipped with high-caliber musicians from the Pacific Northwest Jazz and Reggae scenes, Yaad and Abroad is prepared to bring you an exciting musical experience that brings a tropical fire to even the rainiest Northwest nights. So come bring a friend and kick it with us as we embark on an exciting evening of musical unification for all of creation!

Andrew Yates is a drummer, percussionist, arranger and bandleader from Portland, Oregon. After honing his performance chops and earning a national championship in the Drum and Bugle Corps activity with the Santa Clara Vanguard, he moved to Eugene, OR and earned his B.M. in Jazz Studies and Audio Production at the University of Oregon. These days, Andrew often finds himself living in a veritable Venn diagram of musical milieus. The two most notable being Jazz and Reggae.Andrew Yates is a drummer, percussionist, arranger and bandleader from Portland, Oregon. After honing his performance chops and earning a national championship in the Drum and Bugle Corps activity with the Santa Clara Vanguard, he moved to Eugene, OR and earned his B.M. in Jazz Studies and Audio Production at the University of Oregon. These days, Andrew often finds himself living in a veritable Venn diagram of musical milieus. The two most notable being Jazz and Reggae. In the world of the Pacific Northwest jazz scene, Andrew has provided the musical heartbeat for a diverse array of artists including Grammy-nominated artist Randy Porter, Damien Masterson, Kerry Politzer, Quinn Walker, Justin Copeland, Jack Radsliff, Diane Lou Azo, the Oregon Jazz Ensemble and Eugene’s Swing Shift Jazz Orchestra. In the reggae scene, he has shared the stage with 70’s reggae legend Vernon Maytone, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Aaron Nigel Smith, Tuff Gong International Artist Jubba White, among other gifted artists including The Israelites, Michael Leslie and the Lightcode Band and Balance Trick. 
Since his childhood, Andrew has had a deep and growing interest in the music and culture of Jamaica. His origin story begins in Kingston, Jamaica where his parents originally met while helping repair and teach at the Caribbean Christian Center for the Deaf after Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, and in a miraculous and completely unexpected turn of events, Andrew had a transformative visit to the island in the summer of 2024 during which he rode out Hurricane Beryl with his Jamaican Godmother and her family in the winding hills of St. Mary Parish. Along with surviving a hurricane, Andrew also got to experience firsthand the beautiful land and the strong, vibrant and faithful culture that birthed so much music he has come to know and love.