Yellowjackets: Altered State

Bob Mintzer employs the tenor saxophone for most of this session, along with Russell Ferrante's piano, Marcus Baylor's edgy backbeats, and Jimmy Haslip's pulsing bass throbs. Guests join them for an R&B spectacle on "The Hope." Together, the Yellowjackets sway through hazy clouds of relaxed motion for an afternoon of suntanning and kickin' back.

"Hunter's Point" provides a different look. Mintzer adds soprano sax, bass clarinet, and EWI to the mix for a journey that takes the quartet on an adventure. As they explore exotic lands, the foursome cruises to new and interesting impressions. Unbridled energy characterizes their desire to explore new and different sounds. Similarly, "Youth Eternal" raises the bar in order to inject more adrenalin into the performance. Hip and energetic, relying on Baylor's vast array of multiple textures for a mosaic of funk-driven anxiety, the Yellowjackets give it a thrilling ride. Elsewhere, the band's smooth jazz concept keeps it tied to a relaxed format that soothes as it informs. This performance, intended for easy listening habits, drowns away the rigors of the day and envelops you in a swarm of delicious moods.

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