Yellowjackets
Well into their fifth decade as a band, Yellowjackets show no signs of slowing down. Very much the opposite, in fact – as implied by the title of their latest release, Fasten Up, the 27th album of the quartet’s storied career and their seventh for Mack Avenue Records. The curious turn of phrase, taken from the exhilarating title tune by bassist Dane Alderson,embraces the band’s ethos of unbridled momentum while carrying the suggestionof cautionary warning: brace yourself, fasten those seatbelts, Yellowjacketsare back and the pedal’s to the metal. Their new album “Fasten Up” has been released on Feb 21, 2025.
The spiritof forward motion that has propelled Yellowjackets throughout the band’s history has less to do with the tempo of the songs themselves – which as evermake up a vibrant blend of styles and influences – but with their commitment toexploration and renewal. Those ideas are reflected in the band’s line-up, whichfeatures founding pianist/keyboardist RussellFerrante; drummer Will Kennedy,whose second tenure in the band (starting in 2010) has now surpassed his first(1987-1999); saxophonist Bob Mintzer cameon board in 1990; and the Australian-bornAlderson, who will celebrate his first decade as a ‘Jacket alongside therelease of Fasten Up.
Yellowjacketsreleased their eponymous debut album in 1981 at the height of the fusion era.Since then they’ve adhered to fusion’s genre-blurring mentality while refusingto remain tied to any single style or era. Drawing upon a history-spanning mélangeof jazz movements, steeped in funk grooves and chamber music sophistication,and always keeping an ear to the ground for new sounds and technologies,Yellowjackets have evolved to become a genre unto themselves.
“What we'reabout is a quest for self-discovery,” defines Ferrante. “We’re constantly figuringout who we are, continuing our journey and evolution while challengingourselves along the way. The more we play, the closer we get to realizing theideal of four guys totally losing themselves and making one unified sound.”
Adds Mintzer, “When I write songs for Yellowjackets, I’mattempting to create an environment in which we can do what this band does.Somewhat selfishly, we’re all about just getting together to play.Yellowjackets is all-encompassing; we appreciate chamber music, R&B,gospel, straightahead jazz, in such a way that it's hard to pinpoint theprevailing influence. We have an identifiable sound, but it keeps evolvingbased on the way we write as a vehicle for the way we’d like to play together.”
Kennedy credits their ability to balance tradition andinvention to the unique position the band finds itself in. “Being around forover 40 years, that’s a small club to belong to,” the drummer says.
“There’s a reflective perspective baked into that. We havea history that we can look back on, with a lot of fun, a lot of challenges, anda lot of change. The music industry continues to evolve around us, and we feelhonored to still be here and still be in the game as viable contributors afterall this time.”
Any doubts about Yellowjackets’ continued viability will beinstantly dispelled as Kennedy’s whipcrack drums launch the band into theirdistinctively elastic take on “Comin’ Home Baby.” Penned by bassist Ben Tuckerin the early 60s, with lyrics added later by Bob Dorough, the song has become aperennial, recorded by everyone from Herbie Mann to Mel Tormé, Quincy Jones toMichael Bublé. Mintzer’s arrangement, doubling the melody on tenor and EWI,instantly transforms the familiar chestnut into a Yellowjackets vehicle.
Alderson’s title tune follows, built upon a bustling grooveinspired by the infectious rhythms of Dave Weckl and Herbie Hancock’s Thrust, which also led the composer togive his Fender Precision a workout. “It’s a fun party tune,” the bassist says.“I love tunes that are fun to jam on and that have unexpected drum grooves. TheHeadhunters and Thrust were alwaysbig influences on me, so I specifically used the P-Bass because that was thesound I was going for.”
Mintzer’s “Will Power” was also built from the rhythmicfoundation up. The title is a nod to Kennedy, who sent a recording of the basicbeat to his bandmates and caught the saxophonist’s ear. “The search for unusualrhythmic patterns is never-ending,” Kennedy says. “As a musician as in anyprofession, if you remain stagnant then it's all downhill from that point on.”
In keeping with the drum-oriented theme, Ferrante’s“November 8th” doesn’t acknowledge any significant anniversary(though you can any number of historic events on that date, from the StockholmBloodbath of 1520 to John F. Kennedy’s election in 1960), but the song’sdisorienting 11/8 time signature. The keyboardist also contributes the lovely,wistful ballad “The Truth of You,” its melody as indelible and timeless as itstitle.
Guitarist and singer-songwriter Raul Midón makes a special guest appearance on “The Lion,” layeringhis wordless vocal into Ferrante’s upbeat melody and deftly weaving his guitarlines into the band’s lively sound. “Adding his voice definitely brought outthe melody,” Ferrante says, “and I was so impressed by how he folded his guitarpart into the song. One of Raul's many strengths is his incredible groove, andreally found the space to integrate his guitar while moving the tune forwardrhythmically.”
The first of three tunes in a row by Mintzer, “SwingmeisterGeneral” recalls a turn of phrase in frequent use during the saxophonist’s daysworking with the late bass virtuoso Jaco Pastorius while capturing the boldswing foundation of the tune. It’s followed by “An Interesting Dream,” whichstemmed from a nighttime vision of playing lead trumpet in a big band, and“Broken,” which references both the piece’s staggered time feel and, moreobliquely, the general state of the world in these turbulent times.
A similar sense of uncertainty pervades Ferrante’s foreboding“An Unresolved Question.” Alderson’s jittering, electronica influenced“Xemeris” closes the album on a forward-looking note, fusing acousticinstruments and MIDI programming under the influence of artists like Aphex Twinand Squarepusher. The title, which simultaneously suggests ancient Greekhistory or far-flung astronomical bodies (and, by sheer coincidence, is ananagram for “remixes”) was invented by Alderson, its ultimate meaning leftambiguous.
There is a communal joy that invigorates all of that musicthat Yellowjackets create. The thrill of group discovery bristles through themuscular funk grooves, deepens the emotion of the ballads, digs deep to unearththe roots of the band’s bracing sense of swing. On Fasten Up, their rich history remains in focus in the rearviewmirror as they accelerate into the future.
Any doubts about Yellowjackets’ continued viability will beinstantly dispelled as Kennedy’s whipcrack drums launch the band into theirdistinctively elastic take on “Comin’ Home Baby.” Penned by bassist Ben Tuckerin the early 60s, with lyrics added later by Bob Dorough, the song has become aperennial, recorded by everyone from Herbie Mann to Mel Tormé, Quincy Jones toMichael Bublé. Mintzer’s arrangement, doubling the melody on tenor and EWI,instantly transforms the familiar chestnut into a Yellowjackets vehicle.
Alderson’s title tune follows, built upon a bustling grooveinspired by the infectious rhythms of Dave Weckl and Herbie Hancock’s Thrust, which also led the composer togive his Fender Precision a workout. “It’s a fun party tune,” the bassist says.“I love tunes that are fun to jam on and that have unexpected drum grooves. TheHeadhunters and Thrust were alwaysbig influences on me, so I specifically used the P-Bass because that was thesound I was going for.”
Mintzer’s “Will Power” was also built from the rhythmicfoundation up. The title is a nod to Kennedy, who sent a recording of the basicbeat to his bandmates and caught the saxophonist’s ear. “The search for unusualrhythmic patterns is never-ending,” Kennedy says. “As a musician as in anyprofession, if you remain stagnant then it's all downhill from that point on.”
In keeping with the drum-oriented theme, Ferrante’s“November 8th” doesn’t acknowledge any significant anniversary(though you can any number of historic events on that date, from the StockholmBloodbath of 1520 to John F. Kennedy’s election in 1960), but the song’sdisorienting 11/8 time signature. The keyboardist also contributes the lovely,wistful ballad “The Truth of You,” its melody as indelible and timeless as itstitle.
Guitarist and singer-songwriter Raul Midón makes a special guest appearance on “The Lion,” layeringhis wordless vocal into Ferrante’s upbeat melody and deftly weaving his guitarlines into the band’s lively sound. “Adding his voice definitely brought outthe melody,” Ferrante says, “and I was so impressed by how he folded his guitarpart into the song. One of Raul's many strengths is his incredible groove, andreally found the space to integrate his guitar while moving the tune forwardrhythmically.”
The first of three tunes in a row by Mintzer, “SwingmeisterGeneral” recalls a turn of phrase in frequent use during the saxophonist’s daysworking with the late bass virtuoso Jaco Pastorius while capturing the boldswing foundation of the tune. It’s followed by “An Interesting Dream,” whichstemmed from a nighttime vision of playing lead trumpet in a big band, and“Broken,” which references both the piece’s staggered time feel and, moreobliquely, the general state of the world in these turbulent times.
A similar sense of uncertainty pervades Ferrante’s foreboding“An Unresolved Question.” Alderson’s jittering, electronica influenced“Xemeris” closes the album on a forward-looking note, fusing acousticinstruments and MIDI programming under the influence of artists like Aphex Twinand Squarepusher. The title, which simultaneously suggests ancient Greekhistory or far-flung astronomical bodies (and, by sheer coincidence, is ananagram for “remixes”) was invented by Alderson, its ultimate meaning leftambiguous.
There is a communal joy that invigorates all of that musicthat Yellowjackets create. The thrill of group discovery bristles through themuscular funk grooves, deepens the emotion of the ballads, digs deep to unearththe roots of the band’s bracing sense of swing. On Fasten Up, their rich history remains in focus in the rearviewmirror as they accelerate into the future.
Yellowjackets (1981)
Mirage a Trois (1983)
Samurai Samba (1985)
Shades (1986)
Four Corners (1987)
Politics (1988)
The Spin (1989)
Greenhouse (1991)
One Music (Bob Mintzer – 1992)
Live Wires (1992 – Live)
Like A River (1993)
Run For Your Life (1994)
Dreamland (1995)
Collection (1995 – Compilation)
Blue Hats (1997)
Priceless Jazz (1998 – Compilation)
Club Nocturne (1998)
The Best of Yellowjackets (1999 – Compilation)
Mint Jam (2001)
Peace Round: A Christmas Celebration (2003)
Time Squared (2003)
Altered State (2005)
The Best of Yellowjackets/The Millenium Collection (2006 – compilation)
Twenty Five (2006)
Lifecycle (2008)
Timeline (2011)
A Rise in the Road (2013)
Cohearance (2016)
Yellowjackets + WDR Big Band Jackets XL (2020)
Parallel Motion (2022)
Fasten Up (2025)
“Jazz buffs know about the Yellowjackets. This is a Grammy-winning band that writes and performs intricate compositions that cross countless boundaries.”
- The Arts Fuse
Kurt Elling celebrates Weatehr Report featuring the Yellowjackets
Avails: Jul, Oct, Nov 2025
Line-up Yellowjackets:
Russell Ferrante – Keys/Piano
Bob Mintzer – Sax
Dane Alderson – Bass
William Kennedy - Drums