Customer Reviews

Run For Your Life

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Run For Your Life is in my view the Yellowjackets hardest push towards "true fusion" and even post bop structures. The musicianship on this album appears to be more serious in a jazz-sense than on past albums. The gents even get a little bluesy on the cut "Even Song" which features group founder and ex-bandmate Robben Ford on guitar. (This song probably is a taste of what the 'Jackets would truly be if he was still in the group.) "City of Lights" and the title cut "Runferyourlife" are absolutely scintillating and a delight to listen to. I've owned this CD for nearly ten years and it continues to enter my deck. Each time I play it for someone, they ask who is that?! Overall, I rank this at the top of their recordings behind Four Corners and Dreamland.

The hardest thing to get around when starting to listen to the Yellowjackets is their label as "crossover." While this isn't entirely false, it is very misleading. In truth, the Yellowjackets are among the most responsive groups around, with a sound that is both versatile and wonderfully distinctive. This album is perhaps their strongest from a purist's point of view. On tracks like "Jacket Town," the group gets pretty soulful. Yet on "Muhammed" and "City of Lights," they play such adventurous material that the name "smooth jazz" couldn't possibly work. Even at their most pleasant, the Yellowjackets play with a surprising intelligence, Ferrante's gorgeous harmonies and Mintzer's excellent reed work complemented by Haslip's very individual bass playing and Kennedy's perfectly timed drumming. Things never seem manufactured though. On "Muhammed" Bob Mintzer wails away (on tenor) in a style reminiscent of late-period 'Trane and Ferrante pounds it out in an early Chick Corea vein. The Yellowjackets deserve attention from those with a serious interest in improvised music. This album should give evidence to that point.

First, I have to preface this review by stating that the Yellowjackets are my favorite band on the planet. As a musician, I am nearly always delighted by this groups musicianship, creativity and diversity. These are fantastic musicians!

Having said that, I must say that "Run For Your Life" is a slight departure from the work that came before and pretty much since from this group as it is "straight ahead" jazz. And, it is really well done.

Yellowjackets music is very often difficult to categorize because it is of such a diverse nature and so creative, but the jazz-like nature of this recording is a rare exception in this groups mid-evolution when this recording was made.

If you are hip to this group's style and ability, or even if you are not that familiar with them, I think you will enjoy this CD. The only exception is if you are looking for popular music with vocals and you don't like jazz.

Highly recommended.

I really like the YellowJackets, and I guess I missed this one when this originally came out. Another fine piece of music from such talented gentlemen. Plenty of different changes from one piece to the next. I real surprise if you haven't heard this one. If you are a YellowJackets Fan, and you don't have this. Get it.

This is a very fun album to listen to. The songs have a driving beat that you can tap your fingers to. A nice mix of fusion/funk/jazz. Listen to the first song. I'm not a very good writer, the point I'm trying to get across is that this is worth getting. 5 Stars.

Later

H.D.S

A fusion of acoustic and electric jazz. Tedious at times and very melodic at others. Very good to excellent sonics. Which ever musician is humming should have been muzzled. His oral histrionics add nothing and are patently distracting. Too much noodling and not enough structure, but over all this recording can be enjoyable. For die hard YJ fans and fans of Bob Mintzer.