One of the few reasons, as a Dutch, television-watching music lover, to switch to our eastern neighbors in the eighties and nineties was Ohne Filter. This music program was a direct reaction to TV shows where musicians came to miming their songs obediently and showed complete live concerts of bands that really meant something musically. The Yellowjackets had been on the road for more than ten years
… at the time of these recordings from 1994. Keyboardist Russell Ferrante, bassist Jimmy Haslip, saxophonist Bob Mintzer and drummer Will Kennedy fired one hit after another and also left a deep impression on pop fans with their typical eighties fusion sound. The concert at Ohne Filter shows why the Yellowjackets at that time belonged to the absolute top of the bands that mixed pop influences with jazz. Although the music sounds, as befits true fusion, rather far-fetched, it is a pleasure to see these craftsmen at work. As extras an interview with Michael Au, producer of Ohne Filter, and images from the sound check. (AD)more