Formed in 2000, Yesterdays New Quintet was producer, DJ, and rapper Madlib’s jazz project. The group also featured Ahmad Miller, Joe McDuphrey, Monk Hughes, and Malik Flavors, all of which were pseudonyms for Otis Jackson, Jr. aka Madlib. Born in Oxnard, California, on October 24, 1973, he grew up in a musical family and made his professional entrée into music in 1993 by producing the debut album for L.A. rap trio the Alkaholiks. His own crew, Lootpack earned the notice of DJ and label owner Peanut Butter Wolf, who brought Lootpack to his label, Stones Throw Records. Lootpack delivered its sole proper LP, Soundpieces: Da Antidote, in 1999. The next year, Madlib took the first steps of his solo career with The Unseen, released under the name Quasimoto, although the lineup was only Madlib, along with his alter ego, Lord Quas. In keeping with the ‘band’ concept made up of his pseudonyms/alter-egos, Madlib began work on his jazz project, which he recorded under the name Yesterdays New Quintet. The first album, Angles Without Edges, was released in 2001, followed a year later by Stevie (2002). Yesterdays New Quintet released several singles and EPs – including “I Am Singing” (2001) and “The Meaning of Love” (2002) – and were featured on various artists compilations under the name Yesterday’s New Quintet but Madlib put the ‘band’ on ice in 2007 and focused on his many other projects.
