Medeski Martin & Wood – End Of The World Party (Just In Case)

More great groove music from these masters of the instrumental jazz soul party. Elements of rock, electronic and pop also enter, but overwhelmingly this is an ass-shaking jazz and soul fiesta! Get your freak on!

Put this on the hi fi and let all your party guests ask you where you got all the great tunes. It’s up to you if you wanna give away your secret, that it’s a one-stop shop over in MM&W-Land.

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!