YELLOWJACKETS, FOUR CORNERS. TRANSCRIBED SCORE
Complete NOTE FOR NOTE Transcriptions For:
KEYBOARDS, ACOUSTIC PIANO & SYNTHESIZERS
SAXOPHONE, SOPRANO & ALTO SAXOPHONES
BASS, FIVE STRING BASS & FRETLESS BASS
DRUMS & PERCUSSION
... Their MCA debut, SHADES, was recorded in '86 with a great deal of
improvisation and not a lot of sequencing or drum machine. This Lp
was definitely back in the jazz vein with the group's distinctive R&B
touches.
SHADES was on Billboard's charts for 30 consecutive weeks and garnered
the group its first Grammy Award for "Best R&B Instrumental
Performance." Also in '86, the group had a wonderful time contributing
musical compositions and performances to the motion picture "Star Trek
IV." At this point, Ricky Lawson left the band and Will Kennedy joined
at Russo's recommendation. Kennedy had played with Russo on many
Latin-jazz gigs, and had just the right amount of heavy jazz and taste of
rock background for the Yellowjackets. In 1987, they were named
"Contemporary Jazz Group of the Year" by Cashbox magazine.
Nominated for a Grammy in 1987 for "Best Jazz Fusion Performance"
and receiving a 4-star review in Downbeat, FOUR CORNERS with its
wealth of melodic and rhythmic ideas has "... a pinpointed direction,
more so than any of our former records," Haslip says. "We all grew up
hearing different music, and (now) we're trying to distill it down to a
cohensive statement - not a bit of this and that, but a group concept."
The upbeat mood of the band made the FOUR CORNERS sessions go
smoothly and easily. "We didn't labor at all," Russo noted. "In the past
we'd spend time refining things, but we didn't want to tamper with this.
It's much more spontaneous ... "
Ferrante agrees, "We're four musicians who have made the Yellowjackets
our top priority. We really wanted to figure out what felt good, what
our audiences liked, and what we liked. We all got in sync on this Lp -
nothing has jelled quite like this."
Will Kennedy feels that "...we're playing from our hearts ... this is positive
music that's fun to play."
A wealth of melodic and rhythmic ideas are found in FOUR CORNERS.
"Out O/Town" is an energetic piece featuring Russo's soaring
sax and Ferrante's inventive keyboard work, who feels this tune is
"...almost boogie or swing ... " While Haslip adds that" ... this takes us
back to our roots - we're swinging!"
"Wildlzje" has shifting polyrhythms influenced by guest percussionist
Alex Acuna. "This started out as just a mood and evolved into a full
song," says Kennedy. "Sightseeing" also highlights heated rhythms
from Kennedy and Acuna. ...
1987 - GENEVA - Jimmy Haslip
1987 - INDIGO - Russell Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip, Marc Russo, William Kennedy,
1987 - MILE HIGH - Russell Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip, Marc Russo, William Kennedy, Bill Gable
1987 - OPEN ROAD - Russell Ferrante
1987 - OUT OF TOWN - Russell Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip
1987 - PAST PORTS - Russell Ferrante
1987 - POSTCARDS - Russell Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip
1987 - ROOM WITH A VIEW - Russell Ferrante
1987 - SIGHTSEEING - Russell Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip
1987 - WILDLIFE - Russell Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip, Alex Acuna
Italiano
English
