by Bud Fulginiti
Medeski Scofield Martin and Wood will perform at Union Transfer tomorrow, on tour in support of their new record, Juice. Recently, each has appeared locally with various individual projects – keyboardist John Medeski (The M & M’s, solo piano at World Cafe Live), guitarist John Scofield (Uberjam), drummer Billy Martin (Wicked Knee, Wil Blades Duo), bassist Chris Wood (The Wood Brothers) – but a rare chance to catch them together is a must-see event.
“Philadelphia is a city with a vibrant music history,” says Wood. “So many great musicians have come out of there. When we play shows in Philly we get the feeling that people who come out to see us have that awareness,and appreciation for good music. The history and the aura is in the air.”
Juice is the collaboration’s fourth release since 1998’s A Go-Go, and represents their most synergistic effort to date, with everyone taking a hand in writing and arranging, as well as improvising in studio. Alongside the new originals, they deliver fresh, mind-boggling takes on Bob Dylan, Cream and Doors hits.
“The record is a keeper. It’s a great mix of groove tunes and melodic songs. Some of them sound classic and some more experimental, but it’s all held together with the rhythms we love. These rhythms come from and are inspired by boogaloo, Afro Cuban, Brazilian, and dub music, to name a few.”
The band has just returned from a month-long tour of Europe, where they gave the new tracks extensive workouts. Wood hints at more of the same tomorrow, “We will dig into the tunes from Juice. We might throw in an older tune or a cover but stretching out on the new material is the focus.”
Juice reached #1 on Billboard’s Jazz Album chart in September, but “jazz” is far too limiting a word. The cliche “genre-defying” is overused and seldom truly apt, but a MSMW concert goes far beyond genre and literally redefines the meaning of “song.” For starters, since it’s all instrumental, the traditional verse / chorus / verse / chorus / bridge / chorus structure is right out. And when they improvise and jam- Medeski wringing emotion from his Hammond B-5, Scofield crushing that wah pedal, Wood wailing on fuzzed-out acoustic and electric basses, Martin tapping seashells, ashtrays, hubcaps, whatever’s in reach – you find yourself jaw agape, wondering, “What is that sound, where’s it coming from?” and “Who told these guys this is music?”.
For a taste of, as Wood describes, “something real, creative and spontaneous,” the juice is at 10th and Spring Garden.
