Artist: Jimmy Haslip

James Robert Haslip is an American bass guitarist who was a founding member of the jazz fusion group the Yellowjackets. He was also an early user of the five-string electric bass. 

In an interview with magazine JazzTimes, Haslip said he was surrounded by music as a young boy, from visiting nightclubs and concert venues to his peers. He explains that there was music in his house as well, from his older brother Gabriel listening to classic jazz, his father listening to Latin and orchestra jazz and his aunt listening to "sappy stuff like Jerry Vale and Johnny Mathis". In high school, Haslip created his first band called Soul Mine with his high school classmates, playing soul music at school dances and parties. 

In the early 1970s Haslip played with New York glam band Street Punk, he toured alongside musicians, and moved to Los Angeles in 1976, where he played with guitarists Tommy Bolin and Harvey Mandel. in addition to the Yellowjackets, he has worked with Jeff Lorber, Eric Marienthal, Bruce Hornsby, Rita Coolidge, Gino Vannelli, Kiss, Tommy Bolin, Allan Holdsworth, Marilyn Scott, Chaka Khan, Al Jarreau, Donald Fagen, and Anita Baker. 

Haslip has released two solo albums: Arc, and Red Heat, with Joe Vannelli, in 2000. He was active with the Yellowjackets between 1977 and 2012. He was part of a combo with Allan Holdsworth, Alan Pasqua, and Chad Wackerman. Other collaborations include Jing Chi (with Robben Ford and Vinnie Colaiuta) and Modereko. Haslip was a member of the rock group Blackjack from 1979–1980 with Bruce Kulick, Sandy Gennaro, and Michael Bolton. He also toured with guitarist Allan Holdsworth and drummer Virgil Donati. 

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