Saxophonist Jason Yarde suffers massive stroke while performing in France
Friday, October 14, 2022
One of the UK’s leading saxophonists and a highly respected arranger producer was taken ill during a concert with singer/poet Anthony Joseph
On the evening of Friday 7 October, at Pavilon République in Toulouse, France, while performing with Anthony Joseph, much-loved father, brother, friend and phenomenal composer/musician Jason Yarde suffered a massive stroke on stage.
It was extremely fortunate that paramedics were at the gig and quickly got Jason to the hospital, where a bleed was found on his brain. Having caught it so fast, Jason was operated on swiftly in a Toulouse hospital, and as a result, they are now discussing next steps and his return to the UK. Some may know that Yarde also underwent heart surgery in November 2020, so was in a fragile state before the incident.
In a statement, Jason’s brother James Yarde said: “When Jason returns to the UK, those who love him want to ensure he can focus on his rehabilitation and not worry about how to afford what will be substantial costs including any necessary ongoing physiotherapy, massage therapy, accommodation and living costs.
“Big bro needs a rest. Knowing him, he’ll likely want to dust himself off quickly and busy himself in various ways even after this, but he now needs all of our help to make sure he does exactly the opposite for a while. With suitable recovery plans and care in place we can rightfully aim to get him back to full health and making more world-class contributions as a musician, composer, arranger, father and brother. He has been a somewhat unsung musical hero to many, including me, and I’d personally like to see this as an opportunity to both support him in his full and steady recovery and hopefully do some of that long overdue singing.”
A crowdfunding campaign has been set up for donations to support all of Jason’s medical and living needs. If anybody would like to donate you can follow this link to Jason’s Gofundme page. Updates on Jason’s progress will be posted there also.
A network of Jason’s friends and family will also be hosting benefit gigs and events to support the fundraising efforts, including on 14 November at the 606 Club – check the venue’s website for details.
To support Jason’s recovery visit www.gofundme.com/f/jason-yardes-stroke-rehabilitation-journey
