Contemporary Jazz content - When a favorite bassist 'leaves the band'

I know... Jimmy leaving the jackets was a hit for me, as was Will Kennedy. Still, I'm willing to check them out with Felix with an open mind.

 

Rico is a great musician (he's an even better keyboardist) but his onstage presence turns me off. I have boycotted the Ripps as long as Rico is in the band! As far as Kim Stone....well, he had some personal issues going on that interfered with his professionalism.

Jimmy just wanted to do some other things. He's been with the Yellowjackets so long and I'm sure he had to turn down some great things due to the commitment. Will has returned to the band.

 

...not knowing the full story, I was upset when Jaco left Weather Report.

The Yellowjackets without Haslip just doesn't seem proper.
When Will Kennedy left, that was a shocker (for me, at least). Glad he's back.
Fact is, I was sitting in this very cube when I read Peter Erskine becomes the drummer for the Yellowjackets.

Spyro Gyra, at least very early on, had a revolving bass door: Jim Kurzdorfer, Kim Stone, Oskar Cartaya, & Scott Ambush being the major ones that played on the recordings as well as live.

 

Yep. Just type in Rico Belled. Plenty will come up. He's really good on keys!

 

I'm going to go check out Felix in a few weeks..and yes Jimmy is a very special musician. I think it's part of the way jazz is.. When I think about bands like the jazz messengers or miles groups over the years. The are like new incarnations especially when you add new rhythm sections. I think it's just the nature of jazz.

 

True...although, it was always Miles or Blakely leading their own bands; the guys they ran through typically stayed a "short" time before they themsleves moved onto their own thing. That's "the nature of Jazz".
Haslip co-started the YJ & has been there, what, 35+ years?

 

....with Marcus and Will Lee on their albums. I'm still getting used to the new Yellowjackets album, a little restrained from some of the live clips I've seen with them and Felix. But I think in the long run Felix is going to be a great addition to the band and a logical choice given his history with Mintzer and Haslip.

 

I loved Marcus' playing with the Jackets. He was very low key and fit the tunes very well. Will is much more high energy. Totally different approaches, and I like both a lot.

 

I have Oscar's solo CD and I had no idea he came out of Spyro Gyra. I never really connected with their music. Which CD is he on?
As far as Jimmy goes, I wish he was back with the Yellowjackets. I know Felix is a good bassist but I just don't like the way he solos and I'm not a fan of the Fodera sound.Seems like everybody plays them these days but to me they sound squashed and quacky and definitely not worth 5 grand or whatever ridiculous price tag they might have. I heard Felix play a fretless Jazz once on a youtube clip...whole different deal.
Jimmy doesn't sound right to me in Jeff Lorber's band. Alex Al has that stuff covered way better for my taste.

 

FWIW, Robert Trujillo let Felix use his fathers bass of doom on a couple tracks on the new album. Oscar was on the Fast Forward Spyra Gyra album.

 

Fast Forward was the 3rd & last Spyro Gyra album with Cartaya.
I think it's "Para Ti Latino" from that album (composer: Oscar Cartaya): an ass-kicker.

Cartaya is also on Rites Of Summer and Point Of View. "Swing Street", IIRC, is another one that cooks.

 

Eddie Gomez snuck in for a tune (studio version of "Conversations" from City Kids, IIRC). Kim Stone did a great job with it on the Live album.
Spyro Gyra also had another guy who's name escapes me...David ________?
I recall seeing SG on TV with him; played a Music Man Sting Ray...good tone, good feel...never played on any albums, though.
Same time frame as Magione's "Feels So Good" band with Charlie Meeks, et al.

I guess I will pick this one up...soon.

I'm out-of-the-loop: Did Haslip leave the 'jackets to hook up with Lorber?!?!?
I don't like it.

 

Personally, I don't like Felix 'sound' and 'feel' with the Yellowjackets. I'm just used to hearing Jimmy's signature sound!

 

No kidding! Took me a couple months to learn to play that right!

 

They are on the new Jeff Richman together. I don't know why Haslip left the Yellowjackets, but it seems he a bit of a hand in the pick of Felix from what I've read.

 

OK, sounds like they were hired guns for that.
We all know how much Haslip liked Jaco (reference Politics/Track_4 if you have doubts).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_(Yellowjackets_album)