Sometimes, Late At Night

Album review

Jharis Yokley's résumé before 2024 gave scant clue of what the acrobatic drummer's first album would sound like, let alone where it might fit. Based out of New York for almost a decade since he graduated from Berklee, Yokley has linked with Ani DiFranco, Solange, Sleigh Bells, Chance the Rapper, and above all José James, having played on New York 2020 (Live), On & On, and 1978, and signed to the singer's Rainbow Blonde label. Like Gerald Cleaver, Deantoni Parks, and Jamire Williams, fellow drummers who might be considered jazz musicians more than anything else, Yokley feels no need to color only inside the lines when it comes to his solo work. Soul, fusion, prog, hip-hop, and electronic -- yet never squarely any one of those classifications at once -- Sometimes, Late at Night is a very full-sounding hybrid of sounds created chiefly by Yokley and keyboardist BIGYUKI, another main James associate. It's also a breakup album, one without closure, though the near-constant forward motion and eruptive interplay between the drums and keys suggest a process leading to eventual true catharsis. Half of the pieces address an ex with hook-like admissions, questions, and observations. With the exception of the opening "Back and Forth," featuring James' velvet voice, and occasional background support from Rainbow Blonde co-founder Taali, Yokley is the vocalist. He warmly intones melodic phrases like "I wish you were easy to forget" and "Was it really love?," making the situation plain while leaving room for deeper thought and the imagination. The heft of Yokley's bass drum and the ample low end generated by Yuki's synthesizers obviate the need for a bassist, and any other instrumentalist searching for a point of entry might envision something like a whirlpool before opting to sit out. For all the turbulence evoked by the fidget-blast rhythms and studio effects on tracks such as "Let Her Go," "Remedy," and "Megaman," the whole thing plays out with undeniable grace and heart-on-sleeve emotion. There's nothing quite like it.

© Andy Kellman /TiVo