Yeah NO (Chris Speed, Skuli Sverrisson, Jim Black, Cuong Vu)

Chris Speed · Jim Black · Cuong Vu · Skúli Sverrisson

OGs of the NYC Jazz & New Music Underground

Before genre-blurring became a buzzword and boundary-pushing a branding strategy, Yeah NO was already redefining jazz on their own terms—authentic, dynamic, and unapologetically original. Initially convened in the mid-90s as an experiment in decoding and scoring group improvisations, the band—led by saxophonist and clarinetist Chris Speed (The Bad Plus) alongside Jim Black, Skúli Sverrisson, and trumpeter Cuong Vu—crafted an unconventional book of music that fused jazz, rock, Eastern folk, and minimalism, together pushing the NYC jazz and new music underground into new territory. This fearless ensemble returns to live action this year, at home on the stage at Zebulon.

Thriving in New York City’s late 90s underground scene, Yeah NO toured extensively across the U.S. and Europe, establishing a vital legacy through four influential recordings, including Swell Henry (2004) and Emit (2000).