Having entered their fifth decade as a band, the Yellowjackets show no signs of slowing down. Quite the contrary, as the title of their latest album, *Fasten Up*, suggests—the quartet’s 27th album and their seventh for Mack Avenue Records. This curious turn of phrase, taken from bassist Dane Alderson’s exhilarating title track, captures the band’s ethos—one of unbridled momentum—while also serving as a warning: hold on tight, buckle up, the Yellowjackets are back and they’re flooring it. Their new album, “Fasten Up,” was released on February 21, 2025.

The spirit of forward momentum that has driven the Yellowjackets throughout their history has less to do with the tempo of the songs themselves—which remain a vibrant mix of styles and influences—than with their commitment to exploration and renewal. These ideas are reflected in the band’s lineup, which includes founding pianist and keyboardist Russell Ferrante, drummer Will Kennedy—whose second stint with the band (beginning in 2010) has now outlasted his first (1987–1999)— saxophonist Bob Mintzer, who joined in 1990, and Australian Alderson, who will celebrate his first decade as a ‘Jacket’ with the release of Fasten Up.

The Yellowjackets released their self-titled debut album in 1981, at the height of the fusion era. Since then, they have embraced the fusion mindset of blurring genre lines while refusing to be tied to any single style or era. Drawing inspiration from a historical blend of jazz movements, infused with funk grooves and the sophistication of chamber music, and always on the lookout for new sounds and technologies, the Yellowjackets have evolved into a genre unto themselves.

“It’s all about a quest for self-discovery,” Ferrante explains. “We’re constantly trying to figure out who we are, continuing our journey and our evolution while challenging ourselves along the way. The more we play, the closer we get to the ideal of four guys who lose themselves completely and create a unified sound.”

Mintzer adds: “When I write songs for Yellowjackets, I try to create an environment where we can do what this band does. A bit selfishly, we just want to get together and play. Yellowjackets is a well-rounded group; we enjoy chamber music, R&B, gospel, and straight-up jazz, so it’s hard to pinpoint which influence takes precedence. We have a recognizable sound, but it’s constantly evolving based on how we write and how we’d like to play together.”

Kennedy attributes his ability to balance tradition and innovation to the band’s unique position. “Having been around for over 40 years is a small club that you can actually belong to,” says the drummer.

“This is a thoughtful perspective. We have a history we can look back on—one filled with many joys, many challenges, and many changes. The music industry continues to evolve around us, and we feel honored to still be here and still be in the game as active contributors after all this time.”

Any doubts about the Yellowjackets’ viability will be immediately dispelled when Kennedy’s drumming launches the band into their lively rendition of “Comin’ Home Baby.” Composed by bassist Ben Tucker in the early ’60s, with lyrics added later by Bob Dorough, this song has become a timeless classic, recorded by everyone from Herbie Mann to Mel Tormé, from Quincy Jones to Michael Bublé. Mintzer’s arrangement, which doubles the melody on tenor sax and EWI, instantly transforms this familiar classic into a signature Yellowjackets track.

Alderson’s title track follows, built on a lively groove inspired by the infectious rhythms of Dave Weckl and Herbie Hancock’s *Thrust*, which also led the composer to put his Fender Precision to work. “I like songs where you can have fun and that feature unexpected drum grooves,” explains the bassist. The Headhunters and Thrust have always been a big influence on me, which is why I specifically used the P-Bass because that was the sound I was going for.

Mintzer’s “Will Power” was also built around the rhythmic foundation. The title is a nod to Kennedy, who sent a recording of the basic rhythm to his bandmates and caught the saxophonist’s attention. “The search for unusual rhythmic patterns is endless,” says Kennedy. “As a musician, as in any profession, if you stand still, everything goes downhill from there.”

In keeping with the drum theme, Ferrante’s song “November 8th” doesn’t mention any significant anniversaries (though one could cite numerous historical events on that date, from the Stockholm Bloodbath in 1520 to the election of John F. Kennedy in 1960), but the song’s 11/8 time signature is unsettling. The keyboardist also contributes to the ballad “The Truth of You,” whose melody is as indelible and timeless as its title.

Guitarist and singer-songwriter Raul Midón makes a special guest appearance on “The Lion,” adding his wordless vocals to Ferrante’s upbeat melody and skillfully weaving his guitar lines into the band’s lively sound. “Adding his voice really brought out the melody,” explains Ferrante, “and I was very impressed by how he integrated his guitar part into the song. One of Raul’s many strengths is his incredible groove, and he really found the space to weave his guitar in while driving the song forward rhythmically.”

The first of three consecutive tracks by Mintzer, “SwingmeisterGeneral” evokes a phrase frequently used back when the saxophonist worked with the late virtuoso double bassist Jaco Pastorius, while drawing on the foundations of the boldswing melody. It is followed by “An Interesting Dream,” which stems from a nocturnal vision of a solo trumpet in a big band, and by “Broken,” which refers both to the track’s offbeat rhythm and, more subtly, to the general state of the world in these turbulent times.

A similar sense of uncertainty pervades Ferrante’s unsettling “An Unresolved Question.” Alderson’s “Xemeris,” a tense, electronica-influenced track, closes the album on a forward-looking note, blending acoustic instruments and MIDI programming under the influence of artists such as Aphex Twin and Squarepusher. The title, which evokes both ancient Greek history and distant celestial bodies (and which, purely by coincidence, is an anagram of “remixes”), was coined by Alderson, and its ultimate meaning remains ambiguous.

There is a shared joy that infuses all the music the Yellowjackets create. The excitement of collective discovery runs through their powerful funk grooves, deepens the emotion of their ballads, and digs deep to unearth the roots of the band’s invigorating sense of swing. On *Fasten Up*, their rich history remains in the rearview mirror as they accelerate toward the future.