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Medeski Martin & Wood: It's a Jungle in Here

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Gramavision Records
Released: 1993.10.19
Time:
 54:50
Category: Jazz, Acid Jazz
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Rating: ******.... (6/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.mmw.net
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2001.10.10
Price in €: 14,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Beeah (B.Martin/J.Medeski/Ch.Wood) - 6:59
[2] Where's Sly? (J.Medeski) - 5:23
[3] Shuck It Up (B.Martin/J.Medeski) - 7:45
[4] Sand (Ch.Wood) - 2:25
[5] Worms (J.Medeski/B.Wood) - 5:06
[6] Bemsha Swing -- Lively Up Yourself (B.Marley/J.Monk) - 5:40
[7] Moti Mo (G.Ade) - 8:00
[8] It's a Jungle in Here (B.Martin/J.Medeski/Ch.Wood) - 3:47
[9] Syeeda's Song Flute (J.Coltrane) - 5:57
[10] Wiggly's Way (J.Medeski) - 4:09

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


JOHN MEDESKI - Organ, Piano, Arranger, Horn Arrangements, Wurlitzer
BILLY MARTIN - Percussion, Drums, Artwork, Logo Art
CHRIS WOOD - Bass

DAVE BINNEY - Alto Saxophone
MARC RIBOT - Guitar
JAY RODRIGUES - Tenor & Alto Saxophones
JOSH ROSEMAN - Trombone, Tuba
STEVEN BERNSTEIN - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

JIMMY PAYNE - Producer
JONATHAN F.P. ROSE - Executive Producer
STEVEN MILLER - Engineer, Mixing
ANDREA PIRROTTI - Package Coordinator
ADRIENNE DI GIOVINE - Design

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


1995 CD Gramavision 79495
1995 CD Gramavision 79495
1993 CS Rhino 79495

A look at the sources of MM&W's covers (King Sunny Ade, John Coltrane, Bob Marley and Thelonious Monk) gives a perfect sense of the trio's highly charged, all-encompassing groove. This Gramavision debut reveals a subtle sense of orchestration, as several tracks are enhanced by the presence of the Groove Collective horn section and guitarist Mark Ribot. There is also plenty of the trademark MM&W fire on the album that started the buzz on this band in earnest.



"A supernatural groove band...a much smarter definition of the term 'Acid Jazz'." -- NY PRESS

"The second effort by this organ trio is too audacious to be mere fusion, too infectious to be overlooked." -- Bob Blumenthal/BOSTON GLOBE

"Their second CD...grabs the groove, shaking and twisting and wringing out interesting, organic variations...a coherent, delightfully fluid groove-gestalt." -- Gene Kalbacher/CMJ/HOT HOUSE

"Without doubt this is one of the most promising ensembles in'90s jazz." -- CHICAGO TRIBUNE MAGAZINE

"This trio of idiosyncratic New Yorkers has melded together a standout album of challenging jazz with startling rhythmic variety....[they] create imaginative music with the death-defying bravado of street musicians." -- Bob Bahr/LOUISVILLE COURIER-JOURNAL

"Somewhere between the swinging combo cool of Jimmy Smith in his mid-60s prime and a cosmos bound Sun Ra carnival ride..." -- Steve Dollar/ATLANTA CONSTITUTION

"They're slaves to the groove, regardless of time signature, and making these pieces irresistible is to the point."-- Jim Macnie/MUSICIAN

"Everything a jazz album should be: adventurous, well-played and moving." -- Kevin Convey/BOSTON HERALD

Musician (3/94, p.90) - "...[Medeski's] taut designs are drawn with a keen understanding of the pop world, making their jazz tenets unusally focused....JUNGLE finds a spot where instincts can coincide with strategy...."

Q Magazine (9/94, p.106) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...A little weird, often wonderful, this is a fabulously fresh album..."



Neither a law firm nor a bobsled team, Medeski, Martin and Wood are brahmins of the beat, a forcefully fluid entry in the acid-jazz sweepstakes. There's a big difference, though-these guys actually play instruments. Their second CD as a unit and debut for Gramavision grabs the groove, shaking and twisting and wringing out interesting, organic variations. The true measure of any acid-jazz band (actually, few are bands, per se) is its ability to replicate its recorded sound live, on-stage before an audience, and this threesome has proved its mettle on the unforgiving Boston and Gotham scenes. The other yardstick is a unit's ability to sustain a groove while forging development by amassing salient details indicative of the individual musicians' personalities. Using neither prepared beats nor samples of strangled chickens pitch-heightened and repeated ad nauseum, keyboardist John Medeski (piano and organ), drummer Billy Martin and bassist Chris Wood use their considerable jazz chops and sensibilities to cobble together aspects of gospel, funk, R & B and hip-hop into a coherent, delightfully fluid groove-gestalt. A case in point is the trio discovers, then brokers sympathetic syncopations in the respective tunes of Thelonious Monk and Bob Marley. As with the most effective jazz bands, this triumvirate exploits the composing talents of its constituents. The CD-opening "Beeah" and the title track are group co a orations; other tracks were penned individually or in combination. Several cuts benefit smartly from the presence of guitarist Marc Ribot (a savvy rhythmist who flashes swatches of color with the effusiveness of an eager interior-designer) and a four-man horn section. Acid-jazz bands are almost expected to steal (that's what it is, really) from the best, then camouflage the samples. Medeski, Martin and Wood needn't cover their tracks. They play, they improvise, they swing. The members' diverse backgrounds, broad tastes and wide-open listening habits (as evinced on juju master King Sunny Ade's "Moti Mo" and saxophone titan John Coltrane's "Syeeda's Song Flute") contribute markedly to the success of this lively 10-tune, 55-minute platter. Pianist Medeski's multiple talents, especially his orchestral leanings, are manifested on The Last Elephant, a stunningly evocative, often-impressionistic CD from the Mandala Octet, and The Calculus Of Pleasure from the 10-piece Either/Orchestra. These Boston-based bands record for Accurate Records (P.O. Box 390115, Cambridge, MA 02139/617-628-0603) and both are highly recommended. Jim Payne, producer of It's A Jungle In Here, has come out with an anthology CD, New York Funk Vol. 1 (also on Gramavision), that will work well as a programming companion piece. Drummer Payne's House of Payne alternates with bands led by Mike Clark and JB-ites Fred Wesley and Pee Wee Ellis. Choice tracks include "Far From Home" (4:07), a snappy, soulful organ-tenor tune, and the slow blues "Love Letters" (2:58) from fellow stickman Clark's quintet. "Love Letters" is a feature for the exultant trumpet of Jack Walrath, an exceptionally gifted and visionary soloist who ranges from free jazz to funk as readily as he has mastered the locutions of Manone, Ming us and Massiaen. It's A Jungle In Here and New York Funk Vol. 1-get `em, play `em, dig `em.

Gene Kalbacher: CMJ New Music Report Issue: 358 - Nov 22, 1993
© 1978-1999 College Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



The absolute definition of acid jazz

This is a great album. Though maybe not the best introduction to MMW, and maybe not even their best album it still holds it's own as a kickass acid jazz/triphop/anything you want it to be album. Sometimes aggressive and noisy, sometimes melodic and introspective, MMW always always grooves. With the hip hop influenced drumming of Billy Martin, the infinitely creative bass playing of Chris Wood, and the legendary organ, clavinet and wurlitzer electric piano work of John Medeski, MMW makes you laugh, think and always shake your booty.

My favorite tunes on the album are "Where's Sly?" "Moti Mo" and "Wiggly's Way." "Where's Sly?" is a very riff oriented piece with lots of agressive horns and some beautiful acoustic piano playing by Medeski. "Moti Mo" has been one of my favorite songs of all time ever since I first laid ears on it five years ago. A rearrangement of an old King Sunny Ade tune of the same name, it's starts out slow soft and pensive, reaches a climax of some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard and then finishes the way it started. "Wiggly's Way," is a great tune because it's got some great 70's groove and a great melody. Medeski also gives one of his quintessential messy organ solos that just rips.

Another great thing about this album are the horn arrangements. John Medeski did a great job bringout out the horns for the melodic element but also using them support very tastefully. The only drawbacks to this album are the longwindedness of some of the tunes, and the simple fact that every Medeski, Martin and Wood album has been better than the last. Oh and by the way, there's also an awe inspiring version of John Coltrane's, "Syeeda's Song Flute." Happy listening!

Pros: Great melodic and groove oriented album
Cons: May seem longwinded at times.
Recommended: Yes

by steelyjay - May 10 '00



One of the more pleasant surprises of 1993, this downtown rhythm section hearkens back to the flavor of a cross between late 50's organ trios, and Booker T & the M.G.'s. Mr. Medeski proves to be versatile and tasteful. Billy Martin plays with groove and taste, and Chris Wood plays with taste and a bit of freedom. The additions of horns and the wonderful Marc Ribot, doing what he does best. "Beeah" is sort of reminicient of "Lungs", the opening piece on John Abercrombie's Timeless" album,very possibly another influence. It's perfect as a statement of purpose, and introduction. The dynamic "Where's Sly?" follows, with horns. Then "Shuck It Up" reminds of "Glad" by Traffic, but in a slightly more bent way. Thankfully. A bit too much repetition limits it's effect. "Sand" gets a bit of a wooden send off and doesn't quite recover. Ballads may be asking just a bit much right now. Maturity would definitely help. Still, what they're good at right now merits solid praise.The very next piece "Worms", with Marc Ribot and Dave Binney gets things screamingly back to basics. Again, thankfully. Though it's unusual to have a bassist with a Hammond player. It's sort of "cheating". With masters, like Don Pullen, their feet are integral to the whole. But, this works. And, it's vital because Mr. Medeski also plays piano. Next, we get an exploration of the common ground between Monk's "Bemsha Swing" and Bob Marley's "Lively Up Yourself". "Bemsha" get a reggae setting, and "Lively" gets a dose of 90's Monk harmonization. "Moti Mo" isn't quite as successful. The title track, again, finds us back on strong ground. Thank...never mind. A decidedly hip hop groove, with Mr. Medeski on Electric Piano, proves pretty hard to resist. Until the percussion breakdown, thankfully brief. Sorry. "Syeeda's Song Flute" is a classic. A brilliant idea, brilliantly realized."Wiggly's Way" winds things up in a bit of a playful fashion.

Ken Dias - 2/20/94
© Copyright 1996. All Rights Reserved.
 

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