Fasten Up
Mack Avenue, 2025
9/10
The fusion outfit Yellowjackets, i.e. Russell Ferrante, Will Kennedy, Bob Mintzer, and Dane Alderson, are now 4 decades deep, and these 11 new songs continue their inimitable formula.
“Comin’ Home Baby” opens the listen with Kennedy’s crisp drums and Mintzer’s frisky sax that emits much melody, and the title track follows with Alderson’s bass acrobatics that help cultivate playful grooves.
Arriving in the middle, the calm spirit of “The Truth Of You” allows for Ferrante’s cozy keys to shine amid the soulful sax, while “The Lion” recruits guest Raul Midon’s meticulous guitar and sparing voice for the rich album highlight.
Close to the end, “The Unresolved Question” is piano focused and reflective in its dynamic interaction, and “Xemeris” finishes with the playful EWI giving the rock filled climate a cinematic feel alongside the fluid sax and intricate rhythm section.
This is the 27th studio album from Yellowjackets, who have picked up 16 Grammy Nominations and continues to impress us with their inestimable detail to jazz fusion that no one else could replicate.
Travels well with: The Bad Plus- Complex Emotions; Christian Sands- Christmas Stories