Jazz Politics

A nearly complete departure from smooth jazz, Politics is arguably the Yellowjackets' strongest effort to date. True, there is the pure pop of the single "Local Hero" (which features a rhythm section more rock than jazz) and the accessible "Evening Dance" to be considered, but they're the exceptions rather than the rule. Like Four Corners before it, Politics engages in exotic, dreamy textures, the new wrinkle here being the joining of Russell Ferrante's keyboards and Marc Russo's saxophones to create intoxicating, complex themes (the opening pair of "Oz" and "Tortoise & the Hare" are the best examples of this technique).

In the late 60s jazz was at a turning point. Soul music had taken much of its black audience and rock’s intellectualisation was eating up its support amongst college students. The usual story told is that jazz split between those who went out and those who tried to make people dance. The story is more nuanced, and ‘If You’re Not Part Of The Solution’ tries to tell that story.

Six vintage cinema classics scored by famous BAFTA nominated Croatian composer Alfi Kabiljo are compiled here for the first time in one album…