I'm never quite sure where The Yellowjackets stand in the jazz pantheon these days. For over 40 years they've been at the forefront of the jazz/fusion scene and I recall being impressed by them at Ronnie's a few years back. Perhaps such longevity breeds the contempt associated with familiarity.
Certainly the critics in this year's DownBeat Annual Critics Poll didn't do them any favours although last year, 335 of DB's readers did tick the Yellowjackets in the Jazz Group section. This earned them 15th place behind the trio of the late Chick Corea who went to meet his maker with 1605 of the electorate ensuring his place in DownBeat Heaven.
The critics didn't do right by the individuals either. Bob Mintzer, who can hold his own in any saxophone playing company, was completely overlooked as were the other members of the group.
This particular album is fine and, if I heard it in an elevator I'd stay on until the top floor even if I was only going to Menswear on the second. It has that sort of appeal. However, I also got the feeling that once I'd exited and returned to the second floor I probably wouldn't buy a yellow jacket although I'd certainly try one or two on which is what I'd suggest the readers do - who knows you could maybe prove those pesky critics to be wrong! Lance
Intrigue; Challenging Times; Parallel Motion; Onyx Manor; Samaritan; Il Mio Amico; Resilience; If You Believe; Early.
2 comments :
Critical consensus is as rare as snow in August. Jazz-rock isn’t fashionable in the same way that heavy metal is absented from mainly by the likes of even great rock writers such as Alexis Petridis
Critics often go for avant as default so that needs to be moderated which it isn’t in the NPR or Downbeat lists. Just because there are dozens of names does not mean bigger consensus if they think similarly. Their prejudices need to be examined which would illuminate their thinking reading between the lines.
Good point but, please don't be shy, tell us who you are. New blood is always welcome as Count Basie (or was it Count Dracula?) once said.
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