Medeski, Martin and Wood - Notes From The Underground

Before they went electric and funky, John Medeski, Billy Martin, and Chris Wood were acoustic and funky -- and a lot of other things -- on this exciting early CD. They ruminate like a conventional jazz piano trio when the whim hits them, or move outside when Medeski explodes into Don Pullen-esque clusters. Their métier, though, was clearly the neo-funk thing, for when Martin pulls off those crackling hip-hop and M-Base-related beats on tracks like "Uncle Chubbs" and "Orbits," the band really achieves liftoff. "Caravan" gets a rolling New Orleans funk treatment, and the finale, "Querencia," is a lengthy excursion into dense avant-garde underbrush with a touch of the street in the beat. On several tracks, a three-brass, two-reeds horn section add an extra level of excitement, and the trio tracks are recorded live to DAT (hence the exceptionally crisp sound). ~ Richard S. Ginell

John Medeski – piano
Billy Martin – drums, percussion
Chris Wood – acoustic bass
Steven Bernstein – trumpet
Bill Lowe – tuba, trombone
Curtis Hasselbring – trombone
Thomas Chapin – alto saxophone, alto flute
Doug Yates – bass clarinet

Credits

Horn arrangements by John Medeski
Recorded by David Baker and Roger Teltzman
Mixed by David Baker and John Siket at Sound on Sound, NYC
Edited by Bob Ward
Mastering by Bob Appel
All trio recordings live to DAT
Photos: Alan Martin
Cover art ("Balafon") and cover design: Billy Martin


Tracklist:
1.Hermeto's Daydream(7:13)
2.The Saint(6:58)
3.La Garonne(5:53)
4.Ortits(4:27)
5.Uncle Chubb(7:08)
6.Rebirth(6:29)
7.Otis(4:45)
8.United(8:31)
9.Caravan(8:20)
10.Querencia(12:53)
11.Can't Get What You Want(6:34)