Darryl Yokley Discusses Pictures at an African Exhibition

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Darryl Yokley is a uniquely gifted artist with a vast array of skills at his disposal.  Not only is he an accomplished saxophonist, but he is also recognized as a very talented composer and arranger, writing unforgettable tunes for his own band Sound Reformation as well as arranging music for artists such as Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band, Rhonda Ross, Michigan State University Jazz ensemble, and more.  Some people have characterized his playing and writing, as “different”, “unique”, “adventurous”, “special”, or saying that Yokley has “his own thing.”  Brent Black describes Yokley's playing by saying “Yokley is a critic’s worst nightmare as he side steps standard categorization with ease.”  However his music is described, the consensus is that Darryl Yokley is an artist with a concept and vision, and a sound that sounds like no one else.   

         Yokley formed his band Sound Reformation back in 2010 and they released their debut album “The Void” in 2012, which received favorable reviews from such critics as Brent Black and Charles Latimer.  The band’s popularity continues to grow as Yokley is working on his second album, Pictures at an African Exhibition, which will feature Zaccai Curtis on piano, Luques Curtis on bass, Wayne Smith Jr. on drums, and special guest Nasheet Waits on drums for a double drum quintet which will be accompanied by a small chamber wind ensemble and thirteen pieces of original art.  The band premiered the project at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in January 2017 receiving much praise by critics and audience members alike.  Pictures at an African Exhibition is set to release in the spring of 2018 on Truth Revolution Recording Collective.

    Alongside having a very busy performance and composing career Darryl Yokley is an active educator teaching at Westminster Conservatory in Princeton, NJ and the Fort Lee School of Music as well as being an active clinician.  Darryl, who has taught at Westminster conservatory for over eight years now founded the Westminster Saxophone Quartet back in 2011 and has mentored young talented saxophonists, helping them develop their skills as young musicians and coaching the quartet to two first place finishes in competition at Carnegie Hall.