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The Spin

The Spin is an album by the American jazz band Yellowjackets, released in 1989. The album title refers to the Earth's rotation. The band supported the album with a North American tour.

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Aug 6, 2026
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The Spin
Studio album by
Yellowjackets
Released1989
Recorded1989
Studio
  • Rainbow Studios (Oslo, Norway)
GenreJazz fusion1
Length52:30
LabelGRP2
ProducerYellowjackets
Yellowjackets chronology
Politics
(1988) 		The Spin
(1989) 		Greenhouse
(1991)

The Spin is an album by the American jazz band Yellowjackets, released in 1989.34 The album title refers to the Earth's rotation.5 The band supported the album with a North American tour.6

The album was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best Jazz Instrumental Performance, Group" category.7 It peaked in the top 10 on Billboard's Jazz Albums chart.8

Production

Yellowjackets had originally hoped to record The Spin with Claus Ogerman.9 Instead, the album was recorded in Oslo, Norway, in February 1989; it demonstrated a more acoustic sound than the band's previous efforts, relying less on synthesizers.101112 Completed in three weeks, it was engineered by Jan Erik Kongshaug.1314 The band sought to make the album as melodic as possible while still working within a traditional jazz setting.15

Alex Acuña played percussion on the album.16The Spin was the final album with saxophonist Marc Russo as a band member.2

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStar17
Chicago TribuneStarStarHalf star18
The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties MusicStarStarStar19

The Chicago Tribune wrote that The Spin "includes a few especially engaging cuts—'Storytellers' and a bebopish 'Whistle While You Walk', to name two—and some credible soloing by saxophonist Marc Russo."18 The Star Tribune noted the "more personal and more improvisational sound."20

The Vancouver Sun concluded that "there is an intellectual coolness to some of this talented quartet's jazz instrumentals that is almost cold."21 The Austin American-Statesman determined that The Spin "won't be mistaken for classic acoustic jazz, but it is solidly rooted in a mainstream jazz sound, stressing its melodic elements over its rhythmic ones."22 The Houston Chronicle considered the album to be the band's best.23

Track listing

  1. "Geraldine" (Russell Ferrante) - 6:00
  2. "The Spin" (Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip, Marc Russo, Will Kennedy) - 4:22
  3. "Storytellers" (Ferrante) - 6:10
  4. "Prayer for El Salvador" (Ferrante) - 5:29
  5. "Whistle While You Walk" (Ferrante) - 4:47
  6. '"Enigma" (Ferrante, Haslip) - 4:23
  7. "Dark Horses" (Barry Coates, Ferrante, Haslip) - 4:33
  8. "Blues for Nikki" (Russo) - 3:56
  9. "A Flower Is a Lovesome Thing/Hallucinations" (Billy Strayhorn/Bud Powell) - 8:01

Track 9 is available on the CD release only.24

Personnel

Yellowjackets

Guest Musicians

Production

  • Yellowjackets – producers
  • Jan Erik Kongshaug – engineer
  • Stephen Marcussen – mastering at Precision Lacquer (Hollywood, California, USA)
  • Dick Bouchard – design
  • Jeff Lancaster – design
  • Robin Ghelerter – illustrations
  • Jim Bengston – photography
  • Gary Borman – management
References

References

  1. Katz, Alan (November 2, 1989). "Yellowjackets' fusion innovative". The Denver Post.
  2. "Yellowjackets Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. Harrison, Thomas (June 30, 2011). "Music of the 1980s". ABC-CLIO – via Google Books.
  4. Hadley, Frank-John (August 1989). "Record & CD Reviews: Yellowjackets". DownBeat. 56 (8): 30.
  5. Holman, Rhonda (October 26, 1989). "YELLOWJACKETS DARTING TO NEW TERRITORY". The Wichita Eagle. p. 1C.
  6. Caudle, Todd (August 30, 1989). "Individuals shine in Yellowjackets' show". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. p. D12.
  7. "Yellowjackets". Recording Academy. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  8. "MUSIC". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. Billboard Publications Inc. September 29, 1989. p. 18.
  9. Heckman, Don (November 15, 1989). "The Yellowjackets Buzz From One Style to Another". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.
  10. Beck, Marilyn (September 10, 1989). "THE INSIDE TRACK". Entertainment. The Province. p. 77.
  11. Smith, Andy (September 15, 1989). "Yellowjackets take to the air". The Providence Journal. p. D1.
  12. Heim, Chris (July 28, 1989). "Jazz and standards". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 80.
  13. Miller, Michael (October 6, 1989). "YELLOWJACKETS JUST WON'T STAND STILL". The State. Columbia. p. 1D.
  14. Sutro, Dirk (November 9, 1989). "JAZZ". Los Angeles Times. p. F2.
  15. Lloyd, Jack (September 22, 1989). "THAT BUZZ AT TLA? IT'S YELLOWJACKETS". FEATURES WEEKEND. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 30.
  16. Ginell, Richard S. (August 29, 1989). "Where the Yellowjackets were once reviled...". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L18.
  17. Connolly, Dave. Yellowjackets: The Spin > Review at AllMusic. Retrieved December 1, 2011.
  18. Fuller, Jeff (September 21, 1989). "Recordings". Chicago Tribune. p. 13F.
  19. Larkin, Colin (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music. MUZE. p. 487.
  20. Habich, John (October 24, 1989). "Yellowjackets buzz in". Star Tribune. p. 3E.
  21. Todd, Douglas (November 4, 1989). "Recordings: Jazz". Vancouver Sun. p. D2.
  22. Point, Michael (November 7, 1989). "Jazz 'fusion' label irks Yellowjackets". Austin American-Statesman. p. B6.
  23. Mitchell, Rick (November 13, 1989). "Autumn sampler: jazz in all its colors". Houston. Houston Chronicle. p. 3.
  24. Kanzler, George (September 17, 1989). "NEW AGE GROUPS DRAW NATURAL SOUND FROM ACOUSTIC INSTRUMENTS". News. The Star-Ledger.