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Yellowjackets

In 1977, Robben Ford assembled a group of veteran session musicians to record his album The Inside Story. The trio of musicians, which included keyboardist Russell Ferrante, bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer Ricky Lawson, soon discovered a certain "chemistry" and musical affinity that led to their formation of Yellowjackets. The Inside Story being mainly instrumental, Robben Ford's record label wanted him to record another album that was more pop and vocal oriented. The group, known as the Robben Ford Group, preferred to pursue the instrumental route, and a "band within a band" was formed. This same group with Robben Ford on guitar recorded digital demos that were eventually accepted by Warner Brothers, and Yellowjackets was born. While Robben's contributions would diminish over the years to being a guest artist, the group known as Yellowjackets would flourish.

Their debut album Yellowjackets made serious waves in jazz radio, garnering public and critical acclaim. Mirage A Trois followed in its footsteps. While they went on a brief hiatus to pursue other projects, they reassembled in time for the 1984 Playboy Jazz Festival, adding percussionist Paulinho Da Costa and their new lead voice, sax man Marc Russo. This landmark concert paved the way for their eventual success both on the Billboard Jazz charts and concert venues around the world, and resulted in the third spicy Yellowjackets album Samurai Samba. 1986 saw the group moving over to MCA Records to record Shades, the title track being written by Donald Fagen (of Steely Dan fame) as a tribute to the many "shades" he heard in the group's music.

With their album Four Corners, Ricky Lawson departed to join Lionel Richie's touring band and was replaced by the versatile William Kennedy. This rock-solid lineup took the Yellowjackets into new territory, exploring world beats and densely-populated soundscapes that reflected a growing maturity in their music. CloudjacketsPolitics, the follow-up to Four Corners, mellows out, and the group sheds some of the electronic elements and starts exploring acoustic sounds. Marc Russo's final recording with Yellowjackets, The Spin, was recorded in Oslo, Norway by noted engineer Jan Erik Kongshaug (well known for his work on the ECM label), and the Jackets proved that they could belt out acoustic jazz with the best!

Greenhouse ushered in a new era. With Marc gone, the Yellowjackets trio would record one of their most adventurous albums to date, featuring ace big band arranger and saxophonist Bob Mintzer on many of the tracks, and string accompaniments on a handful of others. Shortly thereafter, Bob Mintzer became a bona fide member of Yellowjackets. The Jackets also recorded on one of Bob Mintzer's dmp Records projects, One Music. Live Wires captures the group in concert with Mintzer at the helm. The two albums that followed, Like A River and Run For Your Life, reflected a growing interest in straight-ahead acoustic jazz.

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Live Review

Yellowjackets al Roma Jazz Festival 2023

Read "Yellowjackets al Roma Jazz Festival 2023" reviewed by Mario Calvitti


Yellowjackets Auditorium Parco della Musica Roma Jazz Festival 2023 Roma 12.11.2023 Gli Yellowjackets sono uno dei gruppi di fusion più longevi ancora in attività sulla scena internazionale che calcano da ben 43 anni, come sottolinea con una punta d'orgoglio il sassofonista Bob Mintzer durante la presentazione del gruppo. Il pianista Russel Ferrante è l'unico superstite della formazione originaria (per una curiosa coincidenza quella stessa sera era presente a Roma un altro dei membri ...

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Album Review

Yellowjackets: Raising Our Voice

Read "Raising Our Voice" reviewed by Chris Mosey


Named after a rather unpleasant insect, founded by a guitar superstar to back him but then dropped, the Los Angeles-based Yellowjackets--despite it all--continue to forge ahead. There's something of the MJQ about them: they dress well (if casually) and play a brand of jazz that is discreet and refined, sometimes almost to the point of becoming background music. Of the musicians picked as a backing group by Robben Ford in 1977, only Russell Ferrante (keyboards) remains. Now ...

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Album Review

Yellowjackets: A Rise in the Road

Read "A Rise in the Road" reviewed by Ian Patterson


With the departure of bassist Jimmy Haslip in 2012, pianist Russell Ferrante is the sole original member, more than three decades after the band's debut recording Yellowjackets (Warner Bros, 1981) set the ball rolling. That said, saxophonist Bob Mintzer has been onboard 22 years and drummer Will Kennedy 14. Not for nothing does the twenty second studio recording sound every bit a Yellowjackets offering--and a fine one at that. New bassist Felix Pastorius has been touring with the band for ...

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Album Review

Yellowjackets: Timeline

Read "Timeline" reviewed by Ian Patterson


Timeline is Yellowjackets' 21st album, in a career spanning 30 years--an impressive return, and an indication of the group's enduring appeal and continued motivation and commitment to making music. As ever, there are signs of evolution, with the addition of trumpet widening the sonic palette. However, pianist/keyboardist Russell Ferrante's sparing use of synthesizer-- which has given an orchestral depth to much of the group's music over the years--and saxophonist Bob Mintzer's switch from EWI to bass clarinet, steers the music ...

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Album Review

Yellowjackets: Timeline

Read "Timeline" reviewed by Mark F. Turner


To have worked thirty years in the business is exceptional for any band, especially in jazz. But since 1981, pianist/keyboardist Russell Ferrante and bassist Jimmy Haslip have maintained the award-winning Yellowjackets--from that year's eponymous Warner Bros. debut, with its infectious blend of fusion and funk, featuring guitarist Robben Ford, and the incorporation of jazz and strings in Greenhouse (GRP, 1991), with multi-reed master Bob Mintzer, to the twentieth anniversary double-CD Mint Jam (Yellowjackets Ent., 2001)--and the group's beat, in its ...

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Film Review

Yellowjackets: New Morning - The Paris Concert

Read "Yellowjackets: New Morning - The Paris Concert" reviewed by John Kelman


YellowjacketsNew Morning - The Paris Concert Heads Up International2009A group that has, on occasion, ventured along the fine line between contemporary jazz and that of the smoother variety, Yellowjackets has always been a performing band. Now approaching its 30th anniversary as a collective, it's the group's eighth year with a consistent line-up that includes, in addition to co-founders Russell Ferrante (keyboards) and Jimmy Haslip (bass), long-timer Bob Mintzer (saxophone and EWI - ...

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Album Review

Yellowjackets with Mike Stern: Lifecycle

Read "Lifecycle" reviewed by Woodrow Wilkins


For the better part of three decades, Yellowjackets have insisted and persisted on doing things their own way and by themselves. So it's fitting that when they deviate from their normal approach and bring in guitarist Mike Stern, the resulting project is titled Lifecycle. The first Yellowjackets recording in fifteen years to feature a guitarist, Lifecycle brings together two powerhouses in modern music. The quartet of Russell Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip, Bob Mintzer and Marcus Baylor has stood the ...

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Festival

Jazz this week: Yellowjackets, Pangea, Greater St. Louis Hispanic Festival, and more

Jazz this week: Yellowjackets, Pangea, Greater St. Louis Hispanic Festival, and more

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features the return of a jazz-fusion favorite; a weekend of Latin jazz and salsa at a free outdoor festival, and more. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, September 20 Jazz-fusion band Yellowjackets opens a four-night engagement continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro. Although Jazz St. Louis at this writing is describing the shows as “almost sold out," a few tickets remain; call the box office for ...

Performance / Tour

Jazz this week: Yellowjackets, Peter Martin, Dave Bennett, Tatsuya Nakatani, and more

Jazz this week: Yellowjackets, Peter Martin, Dave Bennett, Tatsuya Nakatani, and more

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis offers an album release event from one of the city's favorite homegrown piano players, plus funk and fusion, free improv, cabaret, swing, and more. Let's go to the highlights... Wednesday, October 7 The popular fusion band Yellowjackets (pictured, top left) return to St. Louis to begin a four-night stand at Jazz at the Bistro, with a new member, bassist Dane Alderson, as part of the swarm. Alderson, who's ...

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Video / DVD

STLJN Saturday Video Showcase: An Evening with Yellowjackets

STLJN Saturday Video Showcase: An Evening with Yellowjackets

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

This week, let's check in on the contemporary jazz group Yellowjackets, who will be back in St. Louis on Saturday, June 28 to headline the Chesterfield Wine and Jazz Festival at the Chesterfield Amphitheater. Now featuring co-founder Russell Ferrante on keyboards, longtime members Bob Mintzer on saxophones and Will Kennedy on drums, plus the latest addition to the band, bassist Felix Pastorius, Yellowjackets have appeared at Jazz at the Bistro several times during the past decade, most recently in September ...

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Event

Kate McGarry, The Yellowjackets Headline Lawrence University's 33rd Jazz Celebration Weekend

Kate McGarry, The Yellowjackets Headline Lawrence University's 33rd Jazz Celebration Weekend

Source: Rick Peterson

APPLETON, WIS. — Both ends of the jazz spectrum will be represented Nov. 8-9 when Lawrence University hosts its 33rd Jazz Celebration Weekend. Grammy Award-nominated vocalist Kate McGarry, a four-time “Rising Star" honoree by Downbeat magazine, kicks off the weekend Friday while the legendary fusion quartet the Yellowjackets close the weekend Saturday evening. Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel. Tickets, at $22-20 for adults, $19-17 for seniors and $17-15 for students, are available through the ...

Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: The Wee Trio, Yellowjackets, Ronnie Burrage, Dianne Reeves and Peter Martin, Diana Krall, Ahleuchatistas, and More

Jazz This Week: The Wee Trio, Yellowjackets, Ronnie Burrage, Dianne Reeves and Peter Martin, Diana Krall, Ahleuchatistas, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

It's a jam-packed week for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, so much so that there's no time to even attempt a clever opening paragraph for this post. So let's go straight to the highlights... Tonight, the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra presents “A Tribute to Maynard Ferguson" with guest soloist Jim Manley on trumpet at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. Also tonight, The Wee Trio, featuring St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, is in town to support the ...

Recording

Yellowjackets Embark on New Chapter with Latest Project, "A Rise in the Road", Available June 25 on Mack Avenue Records

Yellowjackets Embark on New Chapter with Latest Project, "A Rise in the Road", Available June 25 on Mack Avenue Records

Source: DL Media

A Rise In The Road, the Yellowjackets‘ second Mack Avenue Records offering, is indeed an appropriate title for a time-honored jazz ensemble that has never been fearful of facing newer musical horizons, not to mention the myriad challenges of life itself. Throughout their storied 32-year history, the Yellowjackets have undergone numerous lineup changes, never failing to rise to the inevitable challenges of adjustment. Keyboardist Russell Ferrante and bassist Jimmy Haslip, the dual cornerstones of the group’s 21 previous recordings, were ...

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Performance / Tour

Jazz This Week: Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival, Yellowjackets, Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Del McCoury Band, Vanessa Rubin, and More

Jazz This Week: Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival, Yellowjackets, Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Del McCoury Band, Vanessa Rubin, and More

Source: St. Louis Jazz Notes by Dean Minderman

It's another busy week for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with a number of touring musicians and groups performing here over the next several days in styles ranging from traditional New Orleans jazz to big band to fusion to free improv. Let's go to the highlights: Tonight, the electric jazz/fusion group Yellowjackets returns to St. Louis to open a four-night stand at Jazz at the Bistro. The 'Jackets have been regular visitors to St. Louis, though this will ...

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Music Industry

Yellowjackets Sign with Mack Avenue Records: Announced at the 2010 Detroit International Jazz Festival

Yellowjackets Sign with Mack Avenue Records: Announced at the 2010 Detroit International Jazz Festival

Source: DL Media

Mack Avenue Records is proud to announce the signing of Grammy® award winning jazz group, the Yellowjackets. The signing was made official at the 2010 Detroit International Jazz Festival, where the group headlined on the Carhartt Amphitheatre Stage. Comprised of saxophonist Bob Mintzer, keyboardist Russell Ferrante, bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer Will Kennedy (who was a member of the group from 1986-1998 and returned this year), the group joins the Mack Avenue family during its 30th anniversary of making music. ...

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Music Industry

Yellowjackets Sign with Mack Avenue Records

Yellowjackets Sign with Mack Avenue Records

Source: AAJ Staff

Announced at the 2010 Detroit International Jazz Festival Mack Avenue Records is proud to announce the signing of Grammy® award winning jazz group, the Yellowjackets. The signing was made official at the 2010 Detroit International Jazz Festival, where the group headlined on the Carhartt Amphitheatre Stage. Comprised of saxophonist Bob Mintzer, keyboardist Russell Ferrante, bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer Will Kennedy (who was a member of the group from 1986-1998 and returned this year), the group joins the Mack Avenue ...

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Performance / Tour

Yellowjackets Featuring Mike Stern - Rose Theater - April 29 - May 1

Yellowjackets Featuring Mike Stern - Rose Theater - April 29 - May 1

Source: Michael Ricci

The Yellowjackets featuring Mike Stern Debut at Jazz at Lincoln Center Edmar Castaneda Trio Opens with Special Guest Andrea Tierra April 29-May 1 - Rose Theater The Yellowjackets demonstrate the sound that has made them international headliners for more than 30 years. For the first time in ten years, drummer Will Kennedy rejoins them. Rounding out the band is Russell Ferrante, keyboards; Bob Mintzer, tenor saxophone; and, Jimmy Haslip, bass. This performance provides a rare opportunity to see them perform ...

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Photos

Concerts

Oct 24 Thu
Yellowjackets
Sara Kulturhus
Skellefteå, Sweden
Oct 30 Wed

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Raising Our Voice

Mack Avenue Records
2018

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A Rise In The Road

Mack Avenue Records
2013

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Timeline

Mack Avenue Records
2011

buy

Lifecycle

Heads Up International
2008

buy

Twenty Five

Heads Up International
2006

buy

Altered State

Heads Up International
2005

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