yesterday's new quintet

Biography

Yesterdays New Quintet is a jazz project conceived by hip-hop producer Otis Jackson Jr., professionally known as Madlib, in the summer of 2000.[1] The group was formed as a fictional quintet, with all five members—Joe McDuphrey, Malik Flavors, Ahmad Miller, Monk Hughes, and Otis Jackson Jr.—being pseudonyms created by Madlib himself.[4] Set up initially in the living room of Stones Throw Records' Los Angeles headquarters, the collective lived and worked there through the end of 2000 before relocating to Madlib's studio in a former Cold War-era bomb shelter.[1] The project emerged after Madlib took an extended break from hip-hop production, deciding to "replace the SP1200 with the Fender Rhodes" and explore jazz instrumentation.[3]

The group's debut album, Angles Without Edges, was released on September 11, 2001, and despite initial neglect, it received critical acclaim from those who engaged with it.[1][2] Following this, the collective released a full album of Stevie Wonder covers titled Stevie in 2003, featuring instrumental renditions of classics like "Superstition" and "Too High."[2] Madlib envisioned a Wu-Tang Clan-like trajectory for the project, with each founding member eventually branching off to release solo material and introduce new fictional members and groups.[1] This expansion led to the creation of "Yesterdays Universe," an umbrella collective that grew to include numerous spin-off projects and collaborators, many of whom appeared on Madlib's 2003 Blue Note remix album Shades of Blue.[1][3]

The original Yesterdays New Quintet lineup officially disbanded in 2007 with the release of the compilation Yesterday's Universe, which marked the transition into a new era.[2] Rather than a greatest-hits collection, this album introduced multiple new groups emerging from each of the five original members, including The Otis Jackson Jr. Trio, Young Jazz Rebels, Sound Directions, and The Electro-Acoustic Space Jazz & Percussion Ensemble.[2] Through sampling vintage jazz records and performing all instruments himself, Madlib created an innovative reinterpretation of jazz, blending it with hip-hop and electronic influences.[2] The project's legacy lies in its experimental approach to genre-blending and its influence on the broader Yesterdays Universe collective.

Fun Facts

• All five members of Yesterdays New Quintet are fictional characters created by Madlib; he performed all instruments and created all music for the project by sampling old jazz records and playing instruments himself.[2]
• The group's debut album Angles Without Edges was released on September 11, 2001—an unfortunate date that contributed to the album being initially ignored by the public, despite later receiving critical acclaim.[1][2]
• Madlib conceived the project after taking an extended break from hip-hop production, specifically deciding to 'replace the SP1200 with the Fender Rhodes' and explore jazz instrumentation.[3]
• The original five members each released solo EPs between 2002 and 2007, with each release introducing new fictional band members and groups, ultimately expanding into the larger 'Yesterdays Universe' collective.[3]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Peanut Butter Wolf - Founder of Stones Throw Records who encouraged Madlib to pursue the jazz project; when asked about his next release, Madlib responded with one word: 'Jazz' (Yesterdays New Quintet formation and releases) [2000-2001]

Key Collaborators

• Joe McDuphrey - Fictional member (pseudonym by Madlib) credited on keyboards; later released solo material as part of the Yesterdays Universe expansion (Angles Without Edges, Stevie, Joe McDuphrey Experience) [2000-2007]
• Malik Flavors - Fictional member (pseudonym by Madlib) credited on percussion; released solo material under his name (Angles Without Edges, Stevie, Malik Flavors solo project) [2000-2007]
• Ahmad Miller - Fictional member (pseudonym by Madlib) credited on guitar and vibraphone; released solo material as part of the collective (Angles Without Edges, Stevie, Ahmad Miller solo project) [2000-2007]
• Monk Hughes - Fictional member (pseudonym by Madlib) credited on bass; later released material under Monk Hughes & the Outer Realm (Angles Without Edges, Stevie, Monk Hughes & the Outer Realm) [2000-2007]
• Blue Note Records artists - Various jazz and funk performers collaborated on Madlib's Shades of Blue remix album, many of whom became part of the expanded Yesterdays Universe collective (Shades of Blue (2003)) [2003]

Artists Influenced

• Yesterdays Universe collective - Direct offspring of Yesterdays New Quintet; the original project's dissolution led to the creation of multiple spin-off groups and artists (The Otis Jackson Jr. Trio, Young Jazz Rebels, Sound Directions, The Electro-Acoustic Space Jazz & Percussion Ensemble) [2007 onwards]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia