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The Folly Theater ushered in its post-renovation, 30^th-anniversary season with a celebration of another 30^th anniversary. Bringing a style of jazz that is all their own, the Yellowjackets buzzed into town on their own tour marking three decades together (their latest album is the 25^th since their debut in 1981). The group has enjoyed a rotation of talent since its inception, but two of the original members have been along for the entire ride, and they certainly brought the ride with them to Kansas City last weekend.

The four-man group includes Yellowjackets originators Russell Ferrante, on piano and synthesizer, and Jimmy Haslip, on bass; they were joined by longtime Yellowjackets reed player Bob Mintzer, and Will Kennedy on drums. They played their type of “don’t-call-it-fusion” jazz, and true to their advertising, the music really defied categorization. With what seemed like a fairly typical small-combo setup, they managed to create a variety of unusual timbres with careful crafting of their own original songs and the use of unusual instruments—Mintzer doubled on an electronic wind instrument that added a unique solo sound to the group, and Ferrante was often seen to have one hand on his piano and the other on his synthesizer, with one comping chords and the other wandering melodically. The interplay of these sounds with those of a traditional jazz combo created a sound that was at times spare at others rich and complex.

Right from the first tune it became obvious why the Yellowjackets has had such exceptional staying power—communication across the group was so second-nature that they could all play with their eyes closed without fear of falling out of synchronization, even with often trickily composed tunes. The band played a few cuts off their latest album, Timeline, including “Tenacity,” the band’s musical story of their thirty-year career. The piece was subtly more complex than previous tunes, with carefully coordinated bass and piano that drove constantly in a groove that was level and unchanging, but which gave way to complexity, providing a telling analogy for the group’s history. “Why Is It?” was another track from their new CD, and offered their musical commentary on the state of the world today. It featured frantic sax and drums with interjections from the synth and bass that gave way to sizzling solos from Ferrante and Haslip.

One of the obvious strengths of this group is how formidable they are as individual players, which is evident in the way they each solo. Mintzer’s tenor sax solos were focused, relaxed, and as well crafted as if he was playing two hours’ worth of previously composed material from memory. Kennedy danced over his drums, grinning all night long as if daring anyone on stage or in the audience to have a better time than he was having, as he expertly kicked out complex grooves for his melodic bandmates to ruminate over. Haslip’s unusual upside-down-strung lefty bass allowed him to play solos with gymnastic agility on his extra top string, a virtuosity compounded by his interesting tendency to hum along with himself as he floats and swoons over his solos. But Ferrante’s piano solos stole my heart as he crouched over the keys all night long, stroking and scooping beautiful and increasingly virtuosic lines out of those 88 keys.

The crowning jewel of the set list was definitely “Even Song,” which began with a long solo from Mintzer on the electronic wind instrument that explored its capabilities over its entire range and through several different voices. The solo segued to a slow, gospel type of groove that built contemplatively up to a huge piano solo that once again showcased Ferrante’s soaring technique. The passion poured into this moving piece bubbled up over the corners of the stage and into the audience.

These gentlemen are masters of their craft, and what they crafted in Kansas City was not your typical jazz sound. But it is a sound all their own, one that is unique, tight, and has clearly stood the test of time.

REVIEW:
Folly Jazz Series
Yellowjackets
Saturday, October , 2011
Folly Theatre
300 West 12^th Street, Kansas City, MO
For more information, call 816-474-4444 or visit www.follytheater.org

Top Photo: Yellowjackets (Photo by Kvon)

By Karen Hauge

Classical Contributor, Senior Editor

A native of New Jersey, Karen Hauge relocated to Kansas City in 2010 to attend UMKC in pursuit of her M.M. in flute performance. Since moving to Kansas City, Karen has been active as a performer within the Conservatory and as a music educator in the community, working with the Conservatory’s Community Academy of Music and Dance.

Karen earned a B.M. from the University of Delaware, where she studied music education with Suzanne Burton and Robert Streckfuss. During her time at Delaware, Karen was awarded several grants to fund an independent research project over the course of two years. The project and subsequent thesis, entitled “What Does It Mean To Be Musical?,” explored the ways in which people naturally interact with music in their everyday lives, and earned her a degree with distinction upon graduation. Karen has been active as a solo and chamber performer in Delaware, New York, and New Jersey. She has performed for world-renowned flute pedagogues such as Jeanne Baxtresser and Jeffrey Khaner, and has received honors for outstanding performance through her career at both the university and professional level. Her primary flute teachers have been Mardee Reed-Ulmer, Eileen Grycky, and Mary Posses.