Russell Ferrante

Russell Keith Ferrante is a jazz pianist from San Jose, California who is a founding member of the group Yellowjackets. During his early career, Ferrante performed with American blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon and guitarist Robben Ford. He also toured with Joni Mitchell. The group Yellowjackets also includes New York saxophonist Bob Mintzer. The Yellowjackets write and perform their own music at jazz venues in America, Europe and Asia. They have been nominated for Grammy awards and have won twice in their category. Ferrante is married with one daughter.

Ferrante’s first exposure to music came from his church, where his father was the choir director. He began piano lessons at 9. Beside his early interest in the piano, Ferrante also tried other instruments, including drums, and has played percussion on a some recording sessions. His experience with drums has benefited his piano and keyboard playing and composing.

Ferrante took piano lessons from Anne Penner in San Jose, CA from age 9-16. He became interested in jazz and pop in his teens and studied on his own. In high school he began performing with various R&B and jazz groups in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1973 he met guitarist, Robben Ford and toured the U.S. and Europe as part of Jimmy Witherspoon's band. Ferrante says of this time:

“Much to my parent’s displeasure, my gig with Jimmy Witherspoon necessitated my dropping out of college. I like to say though that navigating the musical and non-musical hazards of the road with “Spoon” was an education I could never have gotten in college”.

In 1977 Ferrante moved to Los Angeles in order to continue working with Robben Ford. He was soon recording and touring with Ford, Joe Farrell, Tom Scott, and Joni Mitchell among others. During this period Ferrante, Ford and Jimmy Haislip co-founded the jazz group the Yellowjackets. Ferrante also began working as a freelance writer, arranger and producer for numerous recordings including those by Bobby McFerrin and Al Jarreau.

The Yellowjackets

In 1977, Ford assembled a group of veteran session musicians to record his album "The Inside Story". The trio of musicians, which included keyboardist Russell Ferrante, bassist Jimmy Haslip and drummer Ricky Lawson, soon discovered a musical chemistry that led to the formation of the Yellowjackets. After the album's release, Ford's record label requested a more pop and vocal oriented follow-up album. Preferring instrumental compositions, this same group was eventually accepted by Warner Brothers as the Yellowjackets.

Their debut album "Yellowjackets" acheived public and critical acclaim. "Mirage A Trois" followed. In 1984 they reassembled for the Playboy Jazz Festival, adding percussionist Paulinho Da Costa and sax man Marc Russo. This concert's success resulted in the third Yellowjackets album "Samurai Samba". 1986 saw the group's move to MCA Records to record "Shades".

After their "Four Corners" album, Ricky Lawson departed and was replaced by William Kennedy. "CloudjacketsPolitics", the follow-up to "Four Corners", explored more acoustic sounds. Marc Russo's final recording with the Yellowjackets was "The Spin", recorded in Oslo, Norway. "Greenhouse" followed Russo's departure and saw the trio featuring big band arranger and saxophonist Bob Mintzer on some cuts and string accompaniments on others. Bob Mintzer eventually joined the Yellowjackets.

With 1995's "Dreamland", the Yellowjackets returned to their first record label, Warner Brothers. In early 1999, William Kennedy departed the Yellowjackets and Peter Erskine joined the group for remainder of the year. Unfortunately, Erskine's schedule conflicted with the band's; he departed without recording an album with the group. In early 2000, the Yellowjackets were again a trio, with Ferrante, Haislip and Mintzer using different drummers throughout the year. Marcus Baylor and Terri Lynn Carrington were among those joining the trio. Their "Blue Hats" release derives from this era as does "Club Nocturne" - a crossover album collaboration with guest vocalists Kurt Elling, Jonathan Butler and Brenda Russell.

In 2001, "Mint Jam" saw Marcus Baylor now trasition to the band's full-time drummer. The Yellowjackets later signed with HeadsUp International and released "Time Squared", "Peace Round" and "Altered State".

Other Endeavors

Ferrante has taught and conducted dozens of clinics at colleges and private music schools throughout the United States, Japan and Europe. Included are those at the prestigious Berklee School of Music (who offer a course analyzing Yellowjackets music) and U.S.C. where he is an adjunct professor.

Russell Ferrante on

"Influences"

"The first recording I heard that really got me excited about being a musician was "Swiss Movement" by Les McCann and Eddie Harris. I loved the way the musicians combined jazz, R&B, and gospel music. This marriage of jazz and R&B was something I heard a lot around San Jose where I grew up. There was one musician in particular, Clifford Coulter, who greatly inspired me.

"At around the same time, I was introduced to John Coltrane's "My Favorite Things" and various recordings by Miles Davis. I didn't understand that music at all but nonetheless, I immediately loved it! Along with these recordings, I was listening to and drawing inspiration from The Beatles, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Club Band" and Joni Mitchell's first album "Clouds"."Non-Yellowjackets Projects

"I've been privileged to write with and produce records for: Bobby McFerrin, Al Jarreau, Michael Franks, Diane Reeves, Rita Coolidge, Sadao Watanabe, Marilyn Scott, Kevyn Lettau, Eric Marienthal, and Sergio Salvatore among others. I've also arranged for Take 6, The GRP Big Band, Lee Ritenour, and many others."

"Collaborators"

"There are so many, but at the risk of omitting some, I'd say my favorite have been: Jimmy Witherspoon, Jim Pepper, Joe Farrell, Joni Mitchell, Bobby McFerrin, Robben Ford, Al Jarreau, Marilyn Scott, Kevyn Lettau, Ernie Watts, Sadao Watanabe, GRP Big Band, Lee Ritenour, Tom Scott, Take 6, Michael Franks, Eric Marienthal, and Brenda Russell."

"Listening"

"Everything by John Coltrane, especially "Giant Steps", "Ballads", "A Love Supreme", and "Live at Birdland". Everything by Miles Davis, especially "Kind of Blue", "Milestones", "My Funny Valentine", "Four and More", "Sketches of Spain", "Miles Smiles", and "Nefertiti". Keith Jarrett, especially "Facing You", "My Song", "Belonging", and all the "standards" recordings. Weather Report, especially "Heavy Weather". Eddie Harris, especially "Listen Here", "Silver Cycles" and "Swiss Movement". Orchestral music by Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Copeland, Bartok, Samual Barber, and much, much more."

"Life Outside of Music"

"My wife, Gerry and I have both been actively involved in the Union Station Foundation, serving the needs of the homeless in the Pasadena area. Each of the last five years we’ve been privileged to help organize a fundraising event at The Los Angeles Music Academy to raise awareness and money for the needs of the homeless.

References

[http://www.russellferrante.com Russel Ferrante Web Site]

[http://http://www.usc.edu/schools/music/private/faculty/rferrant.php USC Music School]

[http://http://www.yellowjackets.com/biographies/bio.php?id=5 Yellowjackets Web Site]