Jas Kayser

Following in the footsteps of UK jazz heavyweights the London-based and Berklee-trained drummer & composer Jas Kayser represents a totally fresh generation in Jazz. At just 26 years of age, she already shared the stage with the likes of Alfa Mist, Nubya Garcia, Shabaka Hutchings as well as Lenny Kravitz. Studying rhythm ever since she was a teenager, she released her Fela Kuti inspired three-track EP „Unforced Rhythm Of Grace“ back in 2020, followed by her debut album „Jas 5ive“ in 2022.

There she expands on the West-African influences, feeling out rhythmic similarities between Afrobeat and Jazz with technical precision and a unique social/cultural framing. Its mellow, pop-infused production, and catchy arrangements echo the many hours Jas has spent with the UK’s latest chart-bound talents. Encouraged by her teachers to address social concerns, and exploring her dual heritage during time spent in the US, Panama & the UK, Jas enlisted spoken-word artist and her twin brother Aalvk on her debut, posing questions surrounding migration, tolerance and identity.

Whether it’s drum theory or the social function of art, talking with Jas, you sense how resolute and clear she is in her musical vision, and where her future is focused. Outside of releasing albums and touring, Jas is focused on shifting perceptions around women in Jazz, citing underrepresentation amongst other factors as to why there are so few female drummers working in music today.