The Yellowjackets took the stage at the Sheraton Hotel for the first GAM Sheraton Jazz show of the year.By Steve Williams
Salt Lake City, UT – The Yellowjackets hit Salt Lake City like a rhythmic tornado. Monday night January 23rd The Yellowjackets took the stage at the Sheraton Hotel for the first GAM Sheraton Jazz show of the year.
The group, whose core, bassist Jimmy Haslip and keyboardist Russell Ferrante started out 25 years ago as the backup band for guitarist, singer Robben Ford. They took the stage with saxophonist and EWI or electronic wind instrument master Bob Mintzer, who also leads his own big band out of New York City and has many recordings with that band.
The biggest surprise was the drummer, Marcus Baylor, who is the newest and youngest of the band. His strength, dexterity and swinging style along with the monster bassist Haslip propelled the band into some incredible, vibrant foot tapping moments. At times using one handed flutters that took real strength to pull off.
Between the great horn riffs and unusual synthesized sounds of the EWI from Bob Mintzer
and the wonderful lush piano playing of Ferrante, who also had his synthesizer on top of the grand piano, the band left hard core jazz fans alike standing, wanting more and leaving with a smile on their faces.
Steve "Daddy-O" Williams, Jazz Director / Host Born in Manhattan at the end of WWII to a big band Dad and a dancer Mom, Steve was pretty much sentenced to a life of music. His father's woodwinds were all around, and Steve picked up the clarinet and saxophone. He studied music at the University of Utah, and loves playing with small groups.