Yellowjackets

Yellowjackets will play on 15 May 2026 at Q-Factory in Amsterdam. The quartet, which formed around keyboardist Russell Ferrante in Los Angeles in the late 1970s, evolved from Robben Ford’s backing band into a distinct voice in jazz fusion. Their terrain is the crossroads of jazz with funk and R&B, where tight grooves, clear themes and careful harmonic development meet without frills.

Live, the focus is the dialogue between Bob Mintzer on saxophone and Ferrante on keys, driven by Will Kennedy’s flexible drumming and anchored by a bass that propels the rhythm and colors the harmonies. The band moves easily between an electric pulse and more acoustic shades; the compositions are solid but leave room for improvisation and for the interplay to reveal detail.

The set can draw from four decades of material, from the self-titled debut of 1981 and Greenhouse (1991) to Timeline (2011) and Parallel Motion (2022). Expect compact hooks, open harmonies and rhythmic turns that let one track flow into the next. There’s no hunt for effects, but a disciplined energy in which melody and groove take precedence—exactly what Yellowjackets continue to present on club and festival stages worldwide.