Russell Ferrante – piano Bob Franceschini - sassofono Felix Pastorius – basso elettrico Will Kennedy – batteria
Più di 30 anni di ininterrotta carriera e più di
venti album all'attivo, quasi tutti candidati Grammy Award come
“Miglior album contemporaneo”. Questi sono The
Yellowjackets, la mitica band statunitense di jazz e fusion degli
anni '70, che in questo tour si presenta in una formazione molto
speciale. A cominciare dal sassofono di Bob Franceschini, che
sostituirà egregiamente quello di Bob Mintzer. La
novità più eclatante riguarda il nuovo bassista :
nientemeno che il giovane Felix Pastorius, figlio del leggendario
Jaco. http://www.yellowjackets.com/
Yellowjackets
A RISE IN THE ROAD
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 responsible for a sizable
chunk of the Yellowjackets’ catalogue.
Yet despite those shifts, Ferrante and Haslip, along with
saxophonist Bob Mintzer (23-year member) and drummer
William Kennedy (14-year member, spread out between two different
time periods), soldiered on with
a professionalism that has resulted in 17 Grammy®
nominations—with two wins—countless sold-out tours,
and worldwide critical acclaim. Last year Jimmy Haslip announced
he was taking a hiatus to focus
on other projects and spend more time with his family. Alas, all
things must come to an end, as he has
decided to make his hiatus permanent. Although his leaving is
seismic within the scope of the Yellowjackets’
history—“A Rise In The Road,” if you please—change is no stranger
to this consistently innovative and adaptable
collective. A Rise In The Road introduces a new member—bassist
Felix Pastorius—to replace Haslip. Pastorius, whose
last name is widely familiar to jazz aficionados, steps in to
contribute his talents to the group’s
continuing sonic ventures (more on Felix Pastorius in a moment).
In 2010, the Yellowjackets signed to Mack Avenue Records and in
2011 released Timeline, which reached #5 on Billboard’s jazz
chart; the title cut received substantial
national jazz radio airplay, making the song a staple on
Billboard’s “Smooth Jazz Songs” chart. Now the Yellowjackets
unveil A Rise In The Road, a 10-track study that burnishes the
group’s sterling reputation for high quality tonal
explorations and ensemble execution.
Produced by Ferrante, Mintzer and Kennedy, A Rise In The Road
stands shoulder-to-shoulder with their 21 previous efforts. “It’s
about the challenges that people face in
their lives and whatever path they are on: It’s not always smooth
sailing, it’s not always a level road,” explains
Ferrante, with regards to the project’s meaning.
“Certainly, over the 32 years that we’ve been a band, we’ve had
things come up, challenges such as musicians that have left the
band, business people, relationships that you
have built over the years. Things come to an end, and you have to
meet the challenge and keep going forward.”
Felix Pastorius is the newest Yellowjackets member. He is the son
of legendary jazz bassist Jaco Pastorius, most known for his
affiliation with jazz-fusion contemporaries,
Weather Report. Prior to his death in 1986, Jaco had enlisted
Mintzer to play saxophone in several of his
post-Weather Report big band incarnations. Mintzer was familiar
with Felix Pastorius as a top-flight musician, having sat
in as a guest performer in the Jeff Coffin Mu’ Tet where Felix was
the bassist. “The music industry is a small place.
We held auditions with a few bass players, and Felix’s name came
up,” reflects Mintzer. “He was the one that rose
to the top, really played well, and seemed like he had the
personality that fit well. I believe we made the right
choice.” In a statement released upon officially joining the
Yellowjackets in early 2012, Pastorius commented: “I
am humbled by the opportunity to step in for Jimmy Haslip.”
A Rise In The Road also marks the first time in
nearly 30-years that Jaco’s bass was played on a new recording.
The instrument can be heard on several tracks.
Robert Trujillo (bassist for Metallica), who owns Jaco’s bass, is
a Pastorius family friend and generously loaned
Felix the bass for the session. As one half of the Yellowjackets
rhythm engine, Will Kennedy stood to feel the impact of Jimmy
Haslip’s departure and Pastorius’ addition directly. “When we got
word that
Jimmy was moving on, it was a shock to all of us because he had
such a big footprint in our band. We weren’t
quite sure what the possibilities were or what it would be like.”
The three eased Pastorius into the fold by gigging
with him for eight months during 2012, a move that allayed fears
as the band gradually became comfortable
playing together. “That shined some light on the situation,”
Kennedy continues. “As opposed to a detriment, it was
more of an opportunity for us to grow and expand with a different
combination of voices within our group. It
turned out to be a pleasant experience, and it continued on into
the recording process.”
Prior to the recording process, each member arrived armed with the
knowledge that whatever composition one brings to the table will
receive proper respect. “It’s very
democratic,” Mintzer says, describing the song selection process.
“Once a song is brought to the table, it’s free rein,
basically. It’s a given that the composer relinquishes his initial
take when a song is given to the committee. Everyone is
welcome to make adjustments and suggestions.”
Ferrante penned “An Informed Decision,” “An Amber Shade of Blue,”
“You’ll Know When It’s Time” and “Longing;” Kennedy contributed
the sensual “Madrugada;” while Mintzer penned
“When the Lady Dances,” “Civil War,” “Thank You” and “I Knew His
Father.” Mintzer titled “I Knew Your
Father” as both a tribute to Jaco Pastorius and a warm welcome
into the Yellowjackets for Felix.
Additionally, Ferrante composed “Can’t We Elope,” a play off
Herbie Hancock’s famed “Cantaloupe Island.” Ferrante explains,
“’Can’t We Elope’ is kind of a bad pun. I
borrowed the bass line and the feeling of the song from the
Herbie’s tune; the title plays off that.” “Can’t We
Elope” features rising star trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, who also
contributes creative flows on “An Informed
Decision” and “An Amber Shade of Blue.”
Akinmusire is a past winner of both the prestigious Thelonious
Monk International Jazz Competition and the Carmen Caruso
International Trumpet Solo Competition. “He’s a
young trumpeter who’s been making a lot of noise,” Ferrante
reveals. “It was a real honor to have him record
with us; he’s a super-talented musician.” From a historical
perspective, while the band has rarely incorporated the
trumpet on their previous albums, Akinmusire’s appearance marks
the second consecutive Yellowjackets album to
feature the instrument.
“The actual recording process went smoothly,” Ferrante relates.
“Felix did a lot of homework; he had charts and demos of the new
music.” Mintzer adds, “On several of our records
there were extensive overdubs. But on A Rise In The Road, it was
mainly just the four of us playing
live. There were a couple of little overdubs, but not nearly as
much as previous albums. We accomplished a big, big
sound. It sounds pretty wide for just four guys!”
Ferrante agrees: “The music changes to accommodate new people.
We’re really pleased with the way A Rise In The Road came out.”
“We do miss Jim, without a doubt,” concludes Mintzer. “Whenever
you change personnel in a partnership band like this one, things
change dramatically. But somehow, this core
of what the Yellowjackets is about remains; it transforms in one
direction or another. But there is this
strong sense of collaboration and strength in numbers that I
seldom find in groups where there typically is a leader. A
Rise In The Road is the next chapter of the Yellowjackets. We
welcome Felix Pastorius to the fray and are
grateful to have the opportunity to express ourselves in a way
that reflects where we are all at in this very
moment.
Vendita biglietti:
dal lunedì al venerdì dalle ore 9,30 alle ore 13,30
presso EVENTI CULTURALI (via San Giovanni Bosco n. 26 presso Villa
Murri di Porto Sant’Elpidio) - tel. 0734.902107 - fax 0734.801500
OPPURE dal lunedì al venerdì dalle 9,00 alle 13,00
presso COMUNE di MONTE URANO Ufficio Cultura - tel. 0734.848723 -
Per informazioni: 338.4321643; 0734.902107; 0734.848745;
0734.848723 Biglietteria Cine Teatro Arlecchino: apertura nel
giorno dello spettacolo dalle ore 19,30 (0734.840143) Accesso alla
sala: dalle ore 21,00 - Inizio spettacolo: ore 21,15
(*) Ridotto: giovani sotto 29 anni, adulti sopra 60 anni, Marche
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