Jimmy Haslip

For 30 years, Jimmy Haslip’s musical virtuosity and versatility, combined with his genial personality, have made the bass guitarist one of the most instrumental figures in the music industry ... Not only across all variations of jazz, but also with hundreds of leading artists in the worlds of pop and rock, and rhythm & blues.
In late 1975, After four educational months in on the road with the experimental blues guitarist Harvey Mandel of Canned Heat and Woodstock fame, Jimmy's introduction to the music business suddenly became more of a dramatic trial-by-fire. Deep Purple guitarist Tommy Bolin asked Jimmy to join his solo band, and after a short month of rehearsals, he was playing in front of sold-out stadiums. Then the excitement ended abruptly with the young fusion star’s overdose death on December 4, 1976, in Miami, Florida.
Undeterred by the rollercoaster ride and tragic end to his first full year, Jimmy remained committed to making music his career. For the next 25 years, Jimmy's rise has been both steady and significant ... highlighted by navigating his own YELLOWJACKETS through the ever-changing worlds of fusion, contemporary, and straight-ahead jazz.
While maintaining a YELLOWJACKETS schedule that is as active as ever, Jimmy also founded, in 2002, one of the most innovative new bands, a FUSION POWER TRIO called JING CHI. The band has recorded three records, and remains active today.
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THREE MINUTES WITH JIMMY HASLIP ...
Jimmy's first musical recollection (as a 12-year-old Boy Scout bugler), and then a solo from "Spirit of the West," part of a Yellowjackets performance at Arturo Sandoval's jazz club in Miami Beach. (2007)
— video by dave hogerty
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NOW & THEN ....
1975 — Jimmy's professional career starts with four months on the road with experimental Chicago blues guitarist Harvey Mandel (Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Albert King, Buddy Guy, Canned Heat, The Rolling Stones "Hot Stuff").
1976 — With Tommy Bolin (Billy Cobham’s “Spectrum,” The James Gang, Deep Purple), touring with Jeff Beck in support of his ground-breaking “jazz” records, “Blow by Blow” and “Wired.”
1978 — Recruited by Canadian singer Gino Vannelli to play on “BROTHER TO BROTHER,” one of the finest vocal/fusion records ever made.
Also develops a friendship with Jaco Pastorius, just after the legendary bassist joined Weather Report ... the band, along with The Mahavishnu Orchestra and Return to Forever, given credit for the explosion of fusion music in the late 1970s.
1979 — Toured and recorded two records with BLACKJACK, Michael Bolton's (pre-R&B) hard rock band, which included guitarist Bruce Kulick (Kiss) and drummer Sandy Gennaro (Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett, Bo Diddley). Also played with guitarist Ray Gomez (Stanley Clarke "School Days," Herbie Hancock) on "Volume," the guitarist's record that featured many of the finest fusion musicians of the day, including the Brecker Brothers.
1980 — Seriously enters the fusion fray, founding the Yellowjackets with guitarist Robben Ford (Jimmy Witherspoon, Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis) and keyboardist Russell Ferrante, and recording "Yellowjackets," the band's critically acclaimed debut album.
80-90 — Records and Produces six Yellowjackets albums, before Bob Mintzer joins the band in 1990. Then, with Mintzer, the Yellowjackets record "Greenhouse" to start the band's second decade.
1991 — Still maintaining a continuous Yellowjackets schedule, joins Bruce Hornsby for his "Harbor Lights" record and World Tour, highlighted by a stadium performance at 1992’s Farm Aid. Also contributes to popular recordings by Steely Dan's Donald Fagan ("Century's End") and Selena ("Dreaming of You")
1993 — Releases “ARC” (first solo record)
2000 — Releases “RED HEAT” (second solo record)
2001 — The Yellowjackets self-release “Mint Jam,” a two-disc live set reflecting the band’s straight-ahead style with today’s lineup of saxophonist Bob Mintzer and drummer Marcus Baylor joining the always-present Russell Ferrante and Jimmy.
2002 —Reunites with original Yellowjackets guitarist Robben Ford, and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (Frank Zappa, James Taylor, Jeff Beck) to form JING CHI.
2006 — Celebrates the Yellowjackets 25th Anniversary, releasing “25,” a live CD/DVD on the band’s new label, Heads Up International.
2007— Joins fusion guitarist Allan Holdsworth, keyboardist Alan Pasqua, and drummer Chad Wackerman for a world tour, highlighted by a DVD recordingat Yoshi's (Seattle, Washington), one of the West Coast's finest jazz clubs. "Allan Holdsworth & Alan Pasqua Featuring Jimmy Haslip and Chad Wackerman" can be found at: www.altitudedigital.com
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THE FULL SPECTRUM ...

A sample of the hundreds of recordings Jimmy has made in a professional career that exceeds 35 years.
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MEMORIES OF JACO ...
Jimmy befriended and studied with Jaco Pastorius in the late 70s, just after the legendary bassist joined Weather Report.
Jimmy in the studio working on the "Word of Mouth Revisited," the first of two HeadsUp records featuring the Jaco Pastorius Big Band, led by Peter Graves, one of Jaco's earliest collaborators. Jimmy appears on both records, which feature a number of guest bassists. Here (in this clip), Jimmy tries to duplicate a complicated riff in the song "Havona," and then plays three takes of a melodic bass solo, one entitled "Continuum" on the final record.
— video by dave.
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