PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)

Time Out describes Kassa Overall as “a Renaissance man: part chopsy, super-funky jazz drummer, and part rising producer-MC.” Kassa's debut album, “Go Get Ice Cream and Listen to Jazz” has earned rave reviews from the NYT, Afropunk, and Downbeat. Since it's January release date, Kassa's debut album, “Go Get Ice Cream and Listen to Jazz” has earned rave reviews from The New York Times, Afropunk, WBGO, WNYC, KNKX and Downbeat. "It’s one of the few genuine-sounding, full-scope amalgams of contemporary hip-hop and jazz to surface in recent years” wrote Giovanni Russonello of the NYTimes in January.

"An album that begs active listening from start to finish."

Stephanie Jones, Downbeat Magazine

Aside from his own work, Kassa is currently working as a spoken word and laptop artist with drummer Terri Lyne Carrington's Social Science, drumming with singer Carmen Lundy, and producing as well as drumming with Arto Lindsay.

While percussion is his main focus, Overall has a passion for electronic-based production and often incorporates the use of laptops and samplers into his music. He’s performed with a formidable list of artists, including Christian McBride, Donald Byrd, Vijay Iyer, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Terri Lyne Carrington, Francis & the Lights, Yoko Ono, Marc Ribot, Mayer Hawthorne, Ravi Coltrane, Gary Bartz, and many more. He spent several years as a key member of pianist Geri Allen's Timeline band and appears regularly with trumpeter Theo Croker (whose last album he co-produced) As a rapper and producer, Overall has collaborated with the hip-hop outfit Das Racist, and with Kool A.D on their Peaceful Solutions project. He also DJs on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's house band, Jon Batiste & Stay Human.

Band Lineup

Kassa Overall (drums, vocals, electronics)

Mike King (piano, synthesizer)

EFG London Jazz Festival 2019

Kassa Overall

Part of the HeadsUp series

PizzaExpress Jazz Club (Soho)

Band Lineup