Yes to jazz, yes to world music. Yes to tradition, yes to new ideas. Yes to sophistication, yes to funk. Original music steeped in jazz and sparkling with rhythms and instruments from the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and the Arabic world. Melodic and driving, thoughtful but audience-friendly. Dr. Julian’s Yes Yes has it both ways.

Julian Gerstin, percussion, composer, is a veteran of many jazz, African and Latin bands. He has appeared with jazz icons Sheila Jordan and Charles Neville; Afropop stars Orlando Julius, Baba Ken Okulolo and Zulu Spear; and has also worked in Eastern European and Arabic music, punk, funk, choral music, and theater composition. In addition to the Sextet, Julian currently leads the Brazilian group Sambaganza and performs traditional Puerto Rican drumming with Bomba de Aquí. Much of Julian’s music stems from his two years living in Martinique, studying and performing traditional music. Julian has an MFA in Music Composition and, yes, a PhD.

With Yes Yes, Dr. Julian takes a…