The Yellowjackets, photo by Roberto Cifarelli

(HOLMDEL, NJ) -- Celebrate Jazz Appreciation month with the Yellowjackets, which Jazz Times describes as an "electric-acoustic outfit whose smart, often challenging and unpredictable compositions draw from fusion, post-bop and contemporary jazz." These jazz icons are headed to Bell Theater at Bell Works in Holmdel on Thursday, April 24, 2025.

Well into their fifth decade, the Yellowjackets have maintained prominence as one of jazz’s most influential and loved groups, and they show no signs of slowing down. The band has recorded 27 albums and enjoyed worldwide critical acclaim and commercial success. The Yellowjackets formed in the late 1970s as the backup band for guitarist Robben Ford and became their own group independent of Ford shortly after recording their first album. The band's current lineup consists of founding member Russell Ferrante on keyboards and synthesizers, Bob Mintzer on woodwinds, Will Kennedy on drums and the newest member Dane Alderson on bass.

The Yellowjackets’ mix of jazz-fusion, straight-ahead jazz and R&B has gained them a large, loyal fan base. Their most recent album, Fasten Up, embraces the band’s ideology of continued forward momentum. JazzViews.net praises it as “an album of strong compositions, subtle arrangements and stirring musical performances. Strap yourself in for an exhilarating musical ride.”

Before the Yellowjackets head to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on May 1, you can catch them in Holmdel on Thursday, April 24.  Showtime is 7:00pm. Tickets are available for purchase online.

Also coming up at Bell Theater on Saturday, April 26 is Dr. Art Topilow performing the Great American Songbook with an all-star lineup of jazz vocalists and instrumentalists. Tickets for this show are available for purchase online or by calling 732-531-9106, ext. 14

Bell Theater is located at 101 Crawfords Corner Road in Holmdel, New Jersey on the lower level, inside the iconic Bell Works complex, with plenty of free parking.

On Saturday, May 10, Bell Theater presents Blues Hall of Fame member Joe Louis Walker accompanied by Grammy winner Burt Conrad Szerlip, NY Blues Hall of Famer Dave Fields and keyboardist and NJBS International Blues Challenge winner Ed Alstrom.

In addition to their main venue in Deal, the Axelrod Performing Arts Center proudly operates Bell Theater, a new cultural hub located at the historic Bell Works in Holmdel, New Jersey. Opened in the spring of 2024, Bell Theater is a 285-seat state-of-the-art facility dedicated to providing exceptional cultural programming to the community. Bell Theater offers a platform for emerging artists while showcasing established acts, all within a space designed to create an immersive and accessible experience for all guests.