How Dane Alderson Helped Shape Yellowjackets’ 27th Album After 10 Years in the Band
Yellowjackets has been a mainstay of the jazz scene since their inception in 1977. They’ve just released Fasten Up, which incredibly marks their 27th album. Part of the quartet’s success has been due to their expansive and exploratory sound, says saxophonist Bob Mintzer.
“We appreciate chamber music, R&B, gospel, straight-ahead jazz, in such a way that it’s hard to pinpoint the prevailing influence. We have an identifiable sound, but it keeps evolving based on the way we write as a vehicle for the way we’d like to play together.”
Though the group has had some lineup changes through the years, they’ve had a steady group for the past decade. In fact, 2025 makes bassist Dane Alderson’s 10th year in the band. Alderson takes the lead with melodies and solos on the album, but it’s his perfect grooves that propel the music.
Check out his Paul Jackson-esque approach on the title track, “Fasten Up”:
Fasten Up is available now on CD and as a digital download (Apple Music and Amazon Music). Alderson and Yellowjackets will be on tour in the US and Europe over the next few months. See dates below.
Fasten Up Track List:
- Comin’ Home Baby
- Fasten Up
- Will Power
- November 8th
- The Truth of You
- The Lion (feat. Raul Midón)
- Swingmeister General
- An Interesting Dream
- Broken
- The Unresolved Question
- Xemeris
Yellowjackets 2025 Tour Dates:
| Date | Venue | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 21 | Elmhurst Jazz Festival | Elmhurst, IL |
| Mar 4-5 | Dazzle | Denver, CO |
| Mar 7 | Pittsburg Memorial Auditorium | Pittsburg, KS |
| Mar 8-9 | Blues Alley | Washington, DC |
| Mar 17 | Brighton High School | Cottonwood Heights, UT |
| Mar 19 | Manship Theatre | Baton Rouge, LA |
| Mar 25 | McCain Auditorium (Kansas State University) | Manhattan, KS |
| Mar 27 | Greer Cabaret Theater | Pittsburgh, PA |
| Apr 24 | Bell Theater | Holmdel, NJ |
| Apr 26 | Koerner Hall | Toronto, Canada |
| May 1 | New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival | New Orleans, LA |
| May 15 | Jazzfest Bonn | Bonn, DE |
| May 16 | Jazzfestival Weiz | Weiz, AT |
| May 17 | Teatro Communale | Vicenza, IT |
| May 21 | Teatro Forma | Bari, IT |
| May 22 | Magazzini Del Cotone | Genova, IT |
| May 23-24 | Blue Note | Milan, IT |
| May 27 | Bitefartcafe | Belgrad, SE |
| Jun 1 | Luxor Live | Arnhem, NL |
| Jun 3 | Nica Jazz Club | Hamburg, DE |
| Jun 20 | Lerner Theater, Elkhart Jazz Festival | Elkhart, IN |
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
