The Yellowjackets got their unofficial start as the backing band for blues-rock guitarist Robben Ford, but in 1981 they emerged as a stand-alone group and became a singularly successful fusion band. The funky grooves of “Imperial Strut” provided an ideal platform for Ford's searing leads, but with his departure the group pursued a more R&B-flavored direction, as heard on “Mile High.” “The Spin,” however, reflects the classic early fusion sound of Joe Zawinul. Saxophonist Bob Mintzer joined in the ‘90s, highlighting a soul-jazz foundation on a track like “Eddie's in the House.”