
Lessons in Leaderlessness: Russell Ferrante of The Yellowjackets
From Jazz88 by KBEM Minneapolis St. Paul
June 12, 2026 · 16 min
About this episode
Russell Ferrante discusses his journey with The Yellowjackets and their leaderless philosophy.
Russell Ferrante is a founding member of the legendary fusion band, the Yellowjackets. He spoke with Jazz88 Morning Host Peter Solomon about his musical path, including an eye-opening first tour with blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon. He also discussed the collaboration with guitarist Robben Ford that led to forming the Yellowjackets, and the leaderless philosphy that has helped the band stay together for nearly five decades. The Yellowjackets will perform Friday June 19th on the AARP MN Main Stage at Mears Park as part of the Twin Cities Jazz Festival.
People in this episode
Host: Peter Solomon
Guest: Russell Ferrante
Topics covered
- music
- jazz
- band history
- collaboration
- leadership philosophy
Keywords
- Russell Ferrante
- The Yellowjackets
- jazz music
- collaboration
- leadership
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Yellowjackets
Places: Mears Park
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