yana creates open, living music.
They got together in Stratford-upon-Avon on a dark and stormy night in November 2007, and from there have undertaken a Jazz Services national tour; performed at Manchester Jazz Festival; and supported jazz saxophone legend David Murray.
The music is a free-wheeling, spontaneous mixture of styles. This trio has developed a process entirely focussed on creating highly expressive live music that's full of grooves and sounds composed, but is not; and playing compositions that don't sound composed at all, but are.
How it all works is not always clear; but the process is always fascinating to hear, and the results can be truly moving.
Their newest studio recording is called don't overthink it, which has garnered favourable attention in Jazzwise (4 stars), on All About Jazz and in a critics' 2013 chart on The Wire's website.
He's released a critically-acclaimed album called Eye of the Duck on the Edition Records label; plays with pianist Matthew Bourne and Stephen Davis and has a fantastic duo with the trumpeter Alex Bonney which performed with Ken Vandermark in 2008. Dave is also founder of a creative musicians' collective in Leeds called LIMA. There's more info on Dave's web-site.
He's in the BBC Jazz Award-winning Curios trio with Tom Cawley and Sam Burgess, the mighty TROYKA with Kit Downes and Chris Montague, and has worked with Django Bates, Aloosh and the Floating Points Ensemble. Find out more on Joshua's web-site.
As well as having made four electro-acoustic albums, Corey is on two albums made by Quantic, two by Nat Birchall, one by Arun Ghosh and one by Ty. He's worked with lots of people including Mat Maneri and Lucian Ban, The Heliocentrics, Orphy Robinson, Robert Mitchell, Andy Hamilton, Scanner and Tony Kofi. More information is on Corey's web-site.
You can either print out the webpage (formatted to 5-6 pages); or download a concise version of the information on the webpage as ODT or PDF.
Yana [...] slip ingeniously between improvised and composed passages, leaving the listener unsure which is which.
Wire Magazine, October/November 2015
Over two improvised sets they sustained that beguiling sense of music that is being conjured before your eyes, and ears, that only the best group playing evokes – fans of the Wayne Shorter Quartet will know what I mean. And their attention to the smallest details can make you fall in love with sound all over again.
Bristol Jazz Log, December 2013
They confound any preconceptions of what freely improvised music might sound like... Sometimes there was bit of an African lilt, at others a funky acoustic vibe, at still others swirling textures and moods and then a burst of racing swing.
Jazzy Blog Man, December 2013
The music [...] resists easy categorisation. Though 100 per cent improvised, it manages to avoid sounding like either free jazz or improv.
Jazzwise Magazine, June 2013
Combining high-wire spontaneity with deft composition, this is state-of-the-art improv from the new generation of UK jazz talent
Time Out London, January 2009
Here is a collection of videos from You Tube.
Have you thought of hosting your own gig? Putting on a concert is easier than you might think, if you plan it correctly.
It doesn't need a big venue - it can even be done in your own home. If you and some like-minded people club together the trio can be quite affordable - please get in touch.
We play acoustic music. In most places, that means without amplification which in turn means no or minimal sound-check.
Our only necessity is a plug socket for the bass amp.
In places where amplification is required, here's a rough set-up guide:
We can comfortably set up in 30-45 minutes. Car parking and loading should be at no cost to us. In any case, contact us with a description of the acoustics and resources (microphones, PA system, etc.) of your venue - these things are much easier to sort out with a conversation.
The nearer we are to each other and the audience, the better! But we need at least 18m2 (just under 22yd2) of floor space to play since we all have large instruments.
If you want to use special lighting, it should be subtle, but not so dark that no one can see. Soft colour washes are fine.
Please ask first if you want to document the performance through photographs, video, or audio recording. We normally say yes, so don't be afraid to come up to us beforehand! And let us have a copy. It's just polite.
Yes please. Water, juice and hot drinks in plentiful (and free) supply would be good. Maybe a few free drinks at a bar. If you do arrange food we'd be very grateful. Dave's a vegetarian. Corey is allergic to eggs, but will eat cakes at his own risk.
Please send an e-mail to trio{at}coreymwamba{dot}co{dot}uk if you need any information, want to say hello or would like to book the group in the U.K. or Europe.
For bookings in North America, please contact MGAM.
We're also on Facebook, Twitter and Soundcloud.