Medeski, Martin and Wood

The Barbican Hall,London
January 20th 2001

MMW came to my attention as a result of their inclusion on various 'jam band' related web sites in the US where they seem to draw attention from the same people who like Phish and the Grateful Dead, indeed on occasion various Phish members have joined MMW on stage. So interest piqued I was quite excited to find that they were to be playing London and as a contingent of the London Dead Head / Phish Phan community were going to the gig I figured that it would probably be something I would like as well.

If you were to categorise MMW simply, they are a jazz band and rarely sound anything like Phish or the Dead. To my mind (which has a mind of it's own) both of these band also play 'jazz' in their own sweet way. I guess that you could call MMW part avante garde jazz trio, part jam band who have absorbed a whole plethora of 80's and 90's dance influences (I think we all have).

Some of the music started where the Dead's weird stuff ends and some of it included some quite Phishy funky grooves over which John Medeski delivered totally outrageous keyboard solos from his arsenal of classic keyboards (Clavinet, Hammond, Mellotron, Wurlitzer piano among them). One person described it as it "Weather Report plays James Brown".

Most of the time I was enthralled by the sheer audacity of the music and the playing, although personally the more melodic and groove based parts of the set were most enjoyable (especially their treatment of Jimi's '3rd Stone'). I have to admit that during a couple of the cacophonous episodes I was a bit bored but overall these amounted to about 5% of the whole gig.

The whole band are outstanding and highly original musicians. In addition to Medeski on keyboards the band is comprised of Chris Wood on electric and acoustic basses and Billy Martin on percussion ("a band on his own" and one fellow audience member put it).

They finished the gig in fine style by migrating mid jam to acoustic instruments (melodic, talking drum and bass) and serenading the audience un-miked from the front of the stage before exiting stage rear. The audience response overall was extremely enthusiastic and far closer the jam band scenario than the sometimes rather tame jazz one.

A really great evening's music although not for all tastes. I am pretty sure that someone coming purely from the rock angle wouldn't get it at all but if you also like jazz and some of the stuff in the middle (electric Miles, Weather Report or even the Dead and Phish) then these guys may be for you. Go see them next time they come.

MMW on BBC Radio 3!!!!

Highlights of the show are due to be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 at 23.30 GMT on Saturday February 24th as part of a season which also includes Mike Stern (electric guitarist with Miles and Jaco) on the 10th.


Julien Lourau Band

I must also mention the support act who were also decidedly splendid. Slightly more mainstream, groove based jazz led by Julien on sax and featuring the flute and amazing vocal talents of Malik Mezzadri. As well as these instruments there were also electric keyboards, electric bass, drums and over to the left of the stage Jeff Sharei spicing up the music with electronic treatments of some of the other instruments and some really fierce programmed drum tracks - drum and bass meets jazz! I think that the highlights for me were the groove heavy Voodoo Dance(?) and Stephanus Vivens' lovely Zawinul-esque solo on the last number. There current CD is called 'Gambit' and I think I may just buy it along with some MMW. Check this band out if they play in your area.

David Weston January 2001