YELLOWJACKETS — Twenty Five (2006) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 Celebrating the smooth jazz giant's 25th anniversary as an ensemble, Twenty Five features the Yellowjackets performing live in Paris in 2005. Showcasing the tenor sax talents of Bob Mintzer, the band also includes longtime members pianist Russell Ferrante, bassist Jimmy Haslip, and drummer Marcus Baylor. Here, the Yellowjackets run through such fan favorites as "Geraldine," "Greenhouse," and others. Also included is a live DVD performance filmed in Italy in 2005. Matt Collar
Tracklist :
1     Revelation 7:38
Russell Ferrante
2     Geraldine 9:06
Russell Ferrante
3     Jacketown 10:55
Russell Ferrante
4     Sea Folk 11:05
Russell Ferrante
5     Free Day 7:37
Marcus Baylor
6     My Old School 5:26
Russell Ferrante / Jimmy Haslip
7     Greenhouse 11:08
Russell Ferrante / Jimmy Haslip
8     Runferyerlife 9:39
Bob Mintzer
Credits :
Drums – Marcus Baylor
Electric Bass – Jimmy Haslip
Piano [Acoustic Piano], Synthesizer – Russell Ferrante
Producer [Produced By] – Yellowjackets
Tenor Saxophone, Electronic Wind Instrument [EWI] – Bob Mintzer

YELLOWJACKETS — Lifecycle (2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Yellowjackets needed a guest guitarist, who would be the best person for the job? Pat Metheny would be an excellent choice, as would Al di Meola, John McLaughlin, Larry Coryell, or John Scofield. Well, the Yellowjackets did hire a guest guitarist for Lifecycle -- an excellent and well-known guitarist, in fact -- and they feature him extensively on this 2008 release. The guitarist is Mike Stern, who enjoys a strong rapport with the Yellowjackets' 2008 lineup: Russell Ferrante on acoustic piano and electric keyboards, Jimmy Haslip on electric bass, Bob Mintzer on tenor and soprano sax and bass clarinet, and Marcus Baylor on drums and percussion. Stern and the Yellowjackets are a perfectly logical combination -- especially in light of the hell-bent-for-jazz direction the Yellowjackets have favored since 1991's Greenhouse. With Greenhouse (which was Mintzer's first album with the outfit), Ferrante and Haslip made it clear that they wanted the Yellowjackets to be considered a serious, heavy-duty jazz combo instead of a group that pandered to smooth jazz stations. That isn't to say that the Yellowjackets' 1980s output lacks merit -- many of their '80s recordings are quite creative -- but with Greenhouse, Ferrante and Haslip really emphasized their Weather Report/Miles Davis/Return to Forever heritage. And that mindset continues to serve the Yellowjackets well 17 years later on Lifecycle. Jazz purists and bop snobs, of course, would argue that if you use electric instruments and have been influenced by rock or funk in any way, you aren't playing jazz, but the truth is that Stern and the Yellowjackets do bring a serious jazz improviser's mentality to engaging tracks like Haslip's bluesy "Country Living," Mintzer's mysterious "Falken's Maze," and Ferrante's probing, somewhat John Coltrane-ish "Measure of a Man." With its blend of electric and acoustic instruments, Lifecycle is relevant to both fusion and post-bop -- and it is also proof that collaborating with Stern was a very wise move for the Yellowjackets. Alex Henderson
Tracklist : 
1    Falken's Maze 6:25
Written-By – B. Mintzer
2    Country Living 6:24
Written-By – J. Haslip
3    Double Nickel 6:42
Written-By – M.Stern
4    Dreams Go 6:49
Written-By – M.Stern
5    Measure Of A Man 7:33
Written-By – R.Ferrante
6    Yahoo 4:52
Written-By – B. Mintzer
7    I Wonder 6:01
Written-By – B. Mintzer
8    3 Circles 7:30
Written-By – B. Mintzer, J. Haslip, M. Baylor, R.Ferrante
9    Claire's Closet 5:05
Written-By – R.Ferrante
10    Lazaro 5:15
Programmed By [Programming], Sequenced By [Sequencing] – Jimmy Haslip
Written-By – B. Mintzer, J. Haslip
Credits :
Marcus Baylor - Drums, Percussion
Russell Ferrante - Keyboards, Percussion, Piano
Jimmy Haslip - Bass (Electric),
Bob Mintzer - Clarinet, Clarinet (Bass), Sax (Soprano), Sax (Tenor)
Jerry Mitkowski : Piano Technician
Mike Stern : Featured Guitar