bio

Jack Yardley is an award-winning London based drummer/ composer who performs regularly throughout the UK.Jack was born in Kingston, SW London, and was educated at Surbiton Preparatory School then at Ewell Castle. At 18, he moved to Leeds to study at Leeds College of Music, where in 2003 he gained a BA in Music (Jazz Studies). Jack remained in Leeds for a further 4 years to establish himself as a professional musician and private drum tutor.
In 2012, Jack won a fiercely competitive scholarship to study for a Masters’ degree at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, currently ranked as the top UK music conservatoire and in the top ten worldwide. At the end of his two year course at Guildhall, Jack was one of only a handful of drummers to ever be awarded a Masters’ degree with distinction.
Although actively gigging in London while at the Guildhall, after completing his course in 2014, Jack set about consolidating his experience and establishing himself on the London jazz scene. He also extended his work as a jazz educator, taking up part-time teaching roles at the Rock School, Ewell Castle and private tutoring.
In 2017, Jack formed Merv and then The Jack Yardley Quintet both of which gigged and toured extensively. The Jack Yardley Quintet which had toured the UK at the back end of 2019, was reformed this year as Ken Hoon and they will be releasing their debut EP “Dreamland” in late May 2021.

In early 2018, Jack was invited to run weekly jam sessions at the Fox in Twickenham. The format is a one hour set by Jack’s house band, followed by an open jam session. So successful has this event been that it has been duplicated at the Marquis of Westminster in Pimlico and now Jack shares his appearances between the two venues.Since graduation, Jack has played at some of the UKs major venues such as Pizza Express (Dean Street), The Vortex, The Round and The Spice of Life as well as many specialist jazz local venues including The Royal Albert, Cable Café, Boaters’, and the 02 Islingston. Jack also had the honour of winning the Help Musicians Postgraduate Jazz Award in 2016. He was also awarded the “concert recital diploma” whilst studying at the Guildhall School of Music for performance excellence.Jack is a recognised and sought-after sideman within the London scene having played with the likes of Duncan Eagles, Edgar Jones, Alex Hitchcock to name but a few.As well as performing, Jack is a keen educator holding positions at both Ewell Castle and Kew House leading the drum faculty. He’s also been an assistant tutor at the Dordogne Jazz Summer School. This in addition to his jazz residencies at The Fox, Twickenham and the Marquis of Westminster where he books both established names and up-and-coming musicians giving both the opportunity to play and learn from each other. “Jack has a huge sound, relentless energy and a fearless searching quality within his playing. This coupled with his beautiful and open composition makes a powerful statement.”Duncan Eagles“Jack is an award winning young gun composer…with fearless risk on the bandstand”  Edgar Jones