Yasuyuki "Yaz" Takagi is a classically trained jazz saxophonist.
He is a native of Osaka, Japan before moving to New York City in April 1992. He has a bachelor's degree in education from Japan's Kochi University. After he lost his day job as a result of the September 11, 2001 attacks, he became a full-time musician and formed the Yaz Takagi Group (now known as Yaz Band). Yaz Band is a regularly featured group in the New York City Transit Authority's "Music Under New York" (MUNY) series.
Yaz has recorded three CDs with his band; "YAZ" (2003), "You Can't Say It In Public" (2005) and "Rush Hour" (2007). He has also released two reissue CDs; "You Can't Say It In Public" (2010) which includes five remixed and remastered selections from "Rush Hour" and "All for Love - The Best of Yaz Band" (2012) which includes selections from "YAZ" and "RUSH HOUR (2007)". The later CD includes a "live" version of "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing." All of the songs have been re-mixed and re-mastered.