Yellowjackets Headline Cape May Jazz Festival Nov. 12-14

CAPE MAY — The Bank of America 34th Cape May Jazz Festival Nov. 12-14 features the Yellowjackets headlining on Fri. night Nov. 12 with shows at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. and Javon Jackson with Les McCann headlining on Saturday night Nov. 13 with shows at 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
The two headlining performances will take place at the Our Lady Star of the Sea Auditorium located at the Washington Street Mall.
Friday night includes performances by the Terrell Stafford Quintet at Victorian Gardens at Marquis de Lafayette, Jonny Hirsch Blues Band at Cabanas, Umar Raheem and the N.Y. Connection at Carney’s Main Room, Taeko Fukoa at Carney’s Other Room, and Monnette Sudler Band-Ladies Night Out at Aleatheas.
Saturday morning features musician’s workshops at Cape May Elementary School from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with jam sessions at both Carneys’ rooms from noon to 4 p.m.
Around town Saturday night, catch the Tom Larsen Band at Cabanas, Mark Sganga at Martini Beach, Demetria Bailey at Aleatheas, Joe Baione at the Boiler Room, 3D Ritmo DeVida Latin Jazz at Carney’s Main Room, and Bob DeVos Trio at Carney’s Other Room.
Later in the evening, catch the Chris Bergonson Blues Band at Cabanas, and Ralph Peterson’s Unity Project at Victorian Gardens at Marquis de Lafayette.
Sunday Super Jams take place from noon to 4 p.m. at both of Carney’s rooms and 1 to 4 p.m. at Cabanas.
Friday headliners, the Yellowjackets began in 1977 when 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 Ritchie’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. 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.
With 1995’s Dreamland, Yellowjackets returned to their first record label, Warner Brothers. Club Nocturne, their latest studio recording, achieves great crossover appeal with the guest vocalists Kurt Elling, Jonathan Butler and Brenda Russell.
And while the Yellowjackets of today sound little like the original Yellowjackets from fifteen-plus years ago at first listen, the unmistakable talents of the individuals involved still have the unique signatures that shine through regardless of their musical setting, whether it be blistering-hot fusion or full-blown acoustic jazz.
In early 2000, the Yellowjackets were once again a trio, with Russell, Jimmy and Bob using different drummers as they continue touring throughout the year.
In 2001, the band self-released the pivotal live “Mint Jam” recording, with Marcus Baylor now essentially the band’s full-time drummer. Since that time, the Jackets signed a deal with the HeadsUp International label, and have since released “Time Squared”, the holiday release “Peace Round” and, most recently, “Altered State”.
Order tickets by calling: (877) 7 CM JAZZ or order online at: www.capemayjazz.com