Jas Kayser and Chums

From touring with Jorja Smith, Alfa Mist and organising her own ‘Jas & Chums’ European tour following the release of her debut EP “Jas 5ive’, to joining Lenny Kravitz’s ‘Blue Electric Light’ world tour last year, Jas has been working hard creating new music to release into the world very soon! A conscientious student, Jas, encouraged by her teachers – British jazz masters Julian Joseph, Byron Wallen and Tony Kofi – left London to study at Berklee College of Music in Boston. At Berklee, she was inspired by her tutors, the drummers Terri Lynne Carrington and Ralph Peterson, and pianist Danilo Perez.

After graduating, Jas spent significant time absorbing the culture and sounds of Panama, at the behest of her Berklee mentor and Panamanian native, Danilo Perez. In this environment, she learnt to deal with responsibility, teach, mentor and give back to the ecosystem at the heart of her own developing musical ethos. Jas’s own eclectic and versatile band, ‘Jas and Chums’, has brought joy and energy to enthusiastic crowds, winning awards and prizes while being featured on television and radio.

In 2024, Jas was nominated for The Composers Award, Up and Coming drummer for Modern Drummers Poll, and also the MOBO Best Jazz Act in 2022, having won both Jazz FM Breakthrough Act and Parliamentary Jazz Newcomer in 2021. Her well-crafted and explosive debut EP ‘Unforced Rhythm of Grace’ as well as her 2022 release ‘Jas 5ive’ have been championed by Jamie Cullum on BBC Radio 2, Julian Joseph on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 6’s Mary Anne Hobbs, Jazz FM and Jazzwise magazine.