The Original Yellowjackets Quartet Reunion Concert

Double Bill With 'Blue Skies': The world premiere of a musical collaboration between pianist Russell Ferrante, guitarist Robben Ford and his wife, vocalist Anne Kerry Ford.

On August 9, 2002, The Original Yellowjackets Quartet reconvenes for the first time in 20 years. The original band members consist of Russell Ferrante (acoustic piano and synthesizer), Robben Ford (guitar), Jimmy Haslip (electric bass), and Ricky Lawson (drums). The opening act, Blue Skies, features the debut of an exciting new collaboration between pianist Russell Ferrante, guitarist Robben Ford, and his wife, vocalist Anne Kerry Ford. The concert will take place under the stars at the historic Ford Amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills.

The concert will also be recorded for future release in CD and DVD formats.

For tickets, call the Ford Box Office at 323 GO 1-FORD (461-3673) or log on to www.tickets.com

Yellowjackets is one of the most widely known and respected groups in jazz today, as well as one of the longest lived groups in the genre. Two of the original members, pianist Russell Ferrante and bassist Jimmy Haslip, are still leading the band, through Grammy Award-winning recordings and concert tours worldwide.

Yellowjackets had its beginning making Robben Ford's first solo recording for Elektra Records in 1979, but soon landed its own deal with Warner Brothers, being signed and produced by Tommy Lipuma. The original quartet did two records for Warner Bros. together; the second, Mirage A Trois garnered their first Grammy Award nomination for best contemporary jazz recording.

The group has gone through several successful personnel changes over the years, but many of their fans have hoped to see the original band, with their special chemistry, come back together again in some way.

As it turned out, Robben Ford was the catalyst for this reunion. “All the members of the original Yellowjackets quartet have remained friends over the years and often played or recorded together," he says. “I had a great experience producing and playing in a Kurt Weill tribute concert at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre last year and wanted to produce another event there again this year. While I was talking with Russell Ferrante about this a light bulb went off in my head and the idea for the reunion was born. Each member of the group responded with a big 'yes!' when I called them and we went from there."

The individual musicians of the Original Yellowjackets have worked with some of the greatest names in music over the last thirty years, including Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Bobby McFerrin, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, David Sanborn, Michael McDonald, Gino Vanelli, Bruce Hornsby, and many, many others.

The opening act, “Blue Skies," features cabaret vocalist Anne Kerry Ford and her husband guitarist Robben Ford as they return to the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre after their highly praised tribute to Kurt Weill opened the 2001 season. Anne, bringing her Broadway background to the mix, and Robben, a renowned blues musician/songwriter, collaborate with keyboardist Russell Ferrante of the jazz/fusion band Yellowjackets to create a unique hybrid of musical styles which provide the setting for standards plumbed from the American Songbook. Produced and arranged by Mr. Ferrante and Mr. Ford, Blue Skies explores classic songs from exceptional songwriters such as Oscar Hammerstein, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Irving Berlin, John Latouche, Kurt Weill, Johnny Mercer et al. in a fresh and contemporary light. Using both acoustic and synthesized instruments, including cello (Stefanie Fife) and percussion (Michael Shapiro), Blue Skies brings together tradition and innovation to create a musical journey that is both timeless and new.