Pete Yellin


Peter Michael Yellin was an American jazz saxophonist and educator.

Career

A native of New York City, Yellin received piano lessons from his father, who was a staff pianist for NBC. He began playing saxophone in the late 1950s after hearing Art Pepper. He studied music at the Juilliard School and Brooklyn College.
During the 1960s, Yellin worked with Chick Corea, Lionel Hampton, Buddy Rich, and Tito Puente. In the 1970s, he was a member of Joe Henderson's band and worked with Mario Bauzá, Charles Earland, Maynard Ferguson, Sam Jones, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. He started his own group in 1974. During the 1980s and 1990s, he worked with George Benson, Eddie Palmieri, and Bob Mintzer. Yellin played with Mintzer's big band from its origin in 1984 until 2007, when he moved to California.
Four years later, he suffered the first of several strokes that would end his life in 2016. He taught jazz at Long Island University, establishing its program in 1984 and leading it through the 1990s.

Discography

As leader

Dance of Allegra It's the Right Thing Colors of Brooklyn with Brooklyn Jazz Machine It's You or No One Live! Mellow Soul
  • ''How Long Has This Been Going On?''

As sideman

With Lionel HamptonHamp Stamps Top Jazz Hamp's Boogie We Are the Levitt's
With Joe HendersonIn Pursuit of Blackness Big Band In Pursuit of Blackness & Black Is the Color
With Bob MintzerIncredible Journey Camouflage Art of the Big Band Departure Only in New York Big Band Trane Live at the Berlin Jazz Festival Latin from Manhattan Papa Lips Spectrum Urban Contours Homage to Count Basie Gently Live at MCG with Special Guest Kurt Elling Old School New Lessons Swing Out
With Tito PuenteThe Mambo King: 100th LP Live at Birdland: Dancemania '99 Mambo Birdland Masterpiece & Obra Maestra
With Buddy RichSwingin' New Big Band Big Band Machine Ease On Down the Road Two Big Bands Play Selections from West Side Story & Other Delights
With others