Jazz
For Medeski, Martin & Wood it has always been about the groove. And in the decade since their crossover appeal was solidified on the jam band circuit, MMW has remained loyal not only to the groove but to their New York jazz roots as well. On their new disc Note Bleu: Best of the Blue Note Years 1998-2005, MMW - John Medeski on organ and keyboards, Billy Martin on drums and percussion and Chris Wood on various basses - offers an overview of their cross-pollinated palette of styles.
As veterans of the downtown New York avant garde scene, the Blue Note era of MMW represents a phase of their recording career in which they further incorporate elements of funk, hiphop, world music and more into a blend of overall sonic exploration. On their four studio albums and one live album for Blue Note, which are well represented here (a remix and three previously unreleased bonus tracks round out the anthology), the fusion of non-linear voicings of free jazz are coupled with the pulsating rhythms of funk.
The ghosts of Jimmy Smith, Sun Ra, Bitches Brew-era Miles and Cecil Taylor hang over the oeuvre of MMW. True to the spirit of both their influences and their own work, the trio continues to push the boundaries of not only their musical configuration and composition, but also the definition of jazz itself, eating up musical genres in the process. In fact, the trio is often augmented by turntablists, guitarists, congas and horns. The standout tracks “Sugar Craft”, “Pappy Check” and “Uninvisible” are indicative of MMW’s sound, where the overall essence and what has contributed to their widespread appeal is that this is jazz you can dance to.
By Paul Christopher Dowd .
**
Medeski, Martin & Wood had already created a series of fine albums and a fervent following before they were signed to Blue Note, one of the most prestigious labels in jazz history. But rather than taking it easy after having made it in the jazz world, MM&W actually pushed the envelope even further during the Blue Note years, continually challenging their listeners as well as themselves. Note Bleu: The Best of the Blue Note Years: 1998-2005 compiles tracks from all five Blue Note albums, and does an excellent job of summarizing their label tenure. The Tonic recording was something of an anomaly. Self-produced and entirely acoustic, it's represented by only one track: a beautiful, slow interpretation of "Hey Joe." As nice as it is, it just doesn't fit with the rest of the material and breaks the flow just a bit. As for the rest of the album, fans may quibble about this omission or that, but the track selection is excellent and they've sequenced it well, wisely throwing chronology out the window. One of the things that becomes apparent, and something that probably contributes to their consistently fresh approach, is the role collaboration has always played. It goes beyond invited musicians and regular contributors like Marc Ribot and the unofficial fourth member of the band, DJ Logic, whose sound was key to Combustication. Scotty Hard's production was a major factor on both The Dropper and Uninvisible, as was John King's on End of the World Party (Just in Case); careful listening reveals all kinds of interesting sonic tricks and details. Of course, at the center of it all are the three incredibly talented players who make up the band. Not only have they turned in a body of work that's sure to stand the test of time, but they've helped broaden the concept of what jazz is and can be, and opened that world up to a whole group of people who may have never thought they'd be interested in jazz. Note Bleu is an excellent overview of their Blue Note years, and would be the perfect starting place for those who haven't yet entered the world of Medeski, Martin & Wood.
By Sean Westergaard. AMG
**
John Medeski- Piano, Keyboards, Melodica
Billy Martin- Percussion, Maracas Mbira, Keyboards, Drums, Remixing
Eddie Bobe- Conga
Chris Wood- Bass, Drums (Bass) Eli Wolf A&R
Todd M. Simon- Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Stuart Bogie- Sax (Tenor), Contra-Alto Clarinet
Aaron Johnson- Trombone
Jordan McLean- Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Michael Herbst- Clarinet (Bass), Sax (Baritone)
Danny Blume- Guitar, Guitar (Baritone)
Marc Ribot- Guitar
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01. The Dropper 3:33
02. Sugar Craft 3:22
03. I Wanna Ride You 3:25
04. Nocturne 4:02
05. Partido Alto 5:46
06. Hey-Hee-Hi-Ho (IllyB remix) 3:56
07. Note Bleu 3:04
08. Pappy Check 2:45
09. Mami Gato 4:08
10. Off The Table 4:18
11. Queen Bee 4:57
12. Hypnotized 5:06
13. Hey Joe 5:02
14. End Of The World Party 5:10
15. Uninvisible 3:37
**
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