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Jas Kayser

Lenny Kravitz

Jas Kayser

About

Paiste Artist Since
July 2018

Nationality
United Kingdom

Main Affiliations
Lenny Kravitz
Jas & Chums

Website
www.jaskayserdrums.com

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„I’m so attached to the Paiste cymbal sound especially for jazz. All the cymbals feel crisp with a precise touch to them. Each one is musical in a way that you can get many different colours within one cymbal. Love it.“

Setup

Videos & Pics

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Paiste_Gallery_Kayser_Jas_550_400_1.jpg

Biography

Jas Kayser is at the heart of a new generation of drummers. From her formative years at Berklee College of Music under the mentorship of Terri Lyne Carrington, Ralph Peterson and Danilo Pérez, to leading her own band ‘Jas Kayser & Chums’, and touring globally with Lenny Kravitz for the past two years, she has emerged as a dynamic, powerful and genre-shifting force in contemporary music. As a solo artist, Jas has been steadily building a catalogue that reflects her expansive musical world. Her debut EP, Unforced Rhythm of Grace, introduced audiences to her distinctive compositional voice, followed by Jas 5ive in 2022. Her releases have received strong support across UK radio, championed by Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), Julian Joseph (BBC Radio 3), Mary Anne Hobbs (BBC Radio 6 Music), as well as Jazz FM and Jazzwise magazine. With new music scheduled for 2026, Jas continues to push her sound forward, blending jazz foundations with contemporary rhythm, melody and groove. Kayser’s work has been recognised with numerous accolades. She won Jazz FM’s Breakthrough Act and Parliamentary Jazz Award for Newcomer in 2021, was nominated for MOBO Best Jazz Act in 2022, and in 2024 received nominations including Composer’s Award and Modern Drummer’s Up & Coming Drummer poll. These honours reflect not only her technical mastery, but her growing impact on the scene as a composer and bandleader. Alongside her work with Kravitz, Jas has played with artists including Jorja Smith, Alfa Mist, and many of the UK’s most forward-thinking jazz and crossover musicians. Whether as a collaborator or bandleader, her playing is defined by feel, intent and an ability to elevate any musical setting she enters. Following Jas’s studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston, she spent significant time in Panama, immersing herself in the culture and sounds. This period proved formative and deepened her sense of musical responsibility, community, and the importance of mentorship and giving back. Whether commanding arenas on a world tour or leading her own projects, Jas Kayser represents a new generation of artists embodying what it means to be a contemporary jazz musician: technically fearless, stylistically open, and grounded in purpose as much as performance.

Setup Cymbals

2002 Ride

PST X Swiss Thin Crash
  • Details

    Sizes: 14", 16", 18"
    Volume: Medium
    Weight: Light

    Sound character: Exotic, warm, trashy. Medium range, complex mix. Fast, responsive feel, fairly quick decay. An explosive Crash cymbal with a strong, low wash for unique effects in many styles of music.

  • Sounds

Masters Dark Ride
  • Details

    Sizes: 20", 22"
    Volume: Soft
    Weight: Light

    Sound character: Dark, warm, smoky, breathy. Fairly wide range, complex mix. Soft feel with a quick response. Very well crashable. Controllable, peppery stick sound over a dark layered oriental, smoky wash. A ride cymbal that can easily be used in a small jazz club setting and flourish in other styles such as blues or country music.

  • Sounds

Formula 602 Classic Thin Crash

Formula 602 Classic Sound Edge Hi-Hat
  • Details

    Sizes: 14", 15"
    Volume: Medium
    Weight: Medium

    Sound character: Rich, silvery, bright, somewhat mellow. Wide range, fairly complex mix. Quick and responsive feel with a soft and warm touch. Very controllable. Full, round and energetic open sound, paired with a light and airy chick sound. Ideal for playing at moderate volume level and a wide range of studio applications.

  • Sounds

PST X Swiss Splash
  • Details

    Sizes: 10"
    Volume: Soft
    Weight: Light

    Sound character: Warm, airy, breathy. Medium range, complex mix. Very explosive response with quick decay. Soft feel. A fast, light accent effect cymbal for many musical styles.

  • Sounds

Masters Extra Thin

Masters Dark Hi-Hat
  • Details

    Sizes: 14", 15"
    Volume: Soft
    Weight: Medium

    Sound character: Dark, full, soft, multi-layered. Medium wide range, complex mix. Soft, responsive feel. Velvety sizzling open sound. Rich, dark chick sound. A sensitive hi-hat perfectly suited for light to medium heavy use within Jazz, Blues, Country and other acoustic music styles.

  • Sounds