Series – Greatest Hits: Medeski Martin and Wood – Last Chance…

The full album title is:

Last Chance To Dance Trance (perhaps)
Best of (1991-1996)

Like the Rob Zombie set earlier this week, that title is a bit of a mouthful.

So, Medeski, Martin and Wood. Back when we lived in Montreal (1999-2001) I listened to these guys quite a lot. Somehow, they fell out of the rotation – it happens to a lot of bands I love, I just bring in new stuff all the time – but it certainly wasn’t intentional in that way. So when I came across this disc recently, I was very thrilled to give them some more play time in my stereo.

Chubb Sub is a great funk groove. Always loved this.

Bubblehouse starts with a groove, then keeps building speed as it jams away. It eventually slows back down again. Cool track.

The title track (Last Chance…) has a cool reggae ballroom feel to it. With jazzy piano!

Hermeto’s Daydream’s light piano becomes a quick jazz freakout. Love this one!

Is The Anybody Here That Love My Jesus has a slow walking pace, the organ taking the main line, then the guitar squawks for a while. Nice one!

The Lover has a nice smooth jazz groove with a big fat bass ass. Yummy.

Where’s Sly? rumbles along, all of its elements working well together. What a cool track, with horn stabs!

Macha brings back the reggae feel, led by great organ playing.

Beeah steps up the pace yet feels like a logical companion track for Macha.

Strance Of The Spirit Red Gator, despite its whacky title, is a sweet funk groove jam. Delish.

Bemsha Swing / Lively Up Yourself is a keeper. Monk’s original, with that famous melody, gets full gorgeous horn treatment here. Anyway, mixed in there is a jazzy version of Bob Marley’s melody, which fits perfectly. The track ends with more Bemsha. Gorgeous. [Trivia: I remember Big Sugar doing Bemsha Swing on their first LP too.]

Dracula is the funkiest, swingin’-est slow jam a vampire could ever hope for – love it.

Night Marches is a previously unreleased live track. It starts out so simple but, of course, it doesn’t stay that way. Great jazzy playing, and heavier in feel, too.

In Sum:

I was utterly remiss. I should have been listening to these brilliant musicians all along! This was FANTASTIC!

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