Medeski Martin & Wood (or MMW) is an American jazz trio formed in 1991, con… Read Full Bio ↴Medeski Martin & Wood (or MMW) is an American jazz trio formed in 1991, consisting of John Medeski on keyboards and piano, Billy Martin on drums and percussion, and Chris Wood on double bass and bass guitar.
The band draws on influences from a number of musical traditions, from funk to Hip Hop, and is known for an unconventional style sometimes described as "avant-groove".
MMW has found moderate mainstream success—often working with noted guitarist John Scofield—and touring on the jam band circuit.
The band members were introduced to each other by jazz drummer Bob Moses, who had performed with Medeski and Wood , and was Martin's instructor.
Medeski Martin & Wood's first performances together were at the Village Gate, a popular New York jazz club. They were initially an acoustic jazz trio, but Medeski added a Hammond organ when the difficulties of touring with a piano became apparent. Their first album, Notes from the Underground, is a record of their entirely-acoustic era. All of their subsequent albums reveal Medeski's use of a wide variety of keyboards, including mellotron, melodica, and a clavinet. Wood entirely eschewed the electric bass for MMW's first three albums, and still relies heavily on the acoustic upright bass in recordings and during live performances. Their earlier albums reveal a Hip Hop influenced updating of classic soul jazz sounds, which is the primary theme of their well-known 1996 album, Shack-man.
The band received some of their first significant exposure outside of the New York City jazz scene by performing with Phish at their October 14, 1995 concert, which led to the association of the group as a jam band.[1] In addition, their performance on John Scofield's 1997 album A Go Go helped to further their exposure. The band collaborated further with Scofield again in 2006, releasing the album Out Louder under the name Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood. This was the first album released on MMW's own Indirecto Records.
From 1998–2005, MMW were signed to leading jazz label Blue Note Records, and showed them delving deeper into dense, electronic funk than their earlier albums, although the band continued to experiment with free jazz and free improvisation both on their albums and in concert.
Medeski Martin & Wood's live performances are renowned for their exploratory nature. Their concerts usually involve extended improvisations, which may be both arrhythmic and atonal, an aspect of their musicianship that is rarely documented in the studio. They occasionally tour using only acoustic instruments, reverting back to the instrumentation that they began their career with. Their album Tonic is an example of these more contemporary acoustic performances. They have also done short tours of entirely improvisatory performances. These shows usually consisted of two sets of improvisation, followed by an encore of a song from an album.
Their song "End of the World Party" was featured on the show Grey's Anatomy and can be found on the show's soundtrack.
Each of the trio's three members are involved in a large music community, and have participated in numerous side projects over the years.
In 2001 John Medeski collaborated with the North Mississippi Allstars and slide-guitarist Robert Randolph; together, these five musicians formed The Word, a bluesy gospel band. They released one self-titled album and toured extensively.
Beginning around 2005 Chris Wood formed The Wood Brothers with his brother, blues guitarist Oliver Wood. They have released several albums to date and continue to tour and record together.
In 2007 John Medeski and Billy Martin released an album as a duo, called Mago. They performed that material together at the 2007 Bonnaroo Music Festival

Far East Sweets
Medeski Martin and Wood Lyrics

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While the world wages war
It gets harder to see
Who your friends really are

I don't wanna let him down
Gotta do what I can
I won't let him drown
He's a far east man

All these ups and those downs
Makes me question what love is
Is it a lie or worthwhile?

I can't let him down
Gotta do what I can
I won't let him drown
He's a far east man

Oh sometimes for sure don't take so long
Wondering if it is or if I'm wrong
Even then my heart seems to be the one in charge
Can only do what,
It tells me

I won't let him down
Gotta do what I can
I won't let him drown
He's a far east man

Looks like right here on earth
God, it's so hard at times
Somehow we'll let it slide

But I don't let him down
Gotta do what I can
I won't let him drown
He's a far east man

I won't let him down
Gotta do what I can

I won't let him drown
He's a far east man

Overall Meaning

In Medeski Martin and Wood's song Far East Sweets, the lyrics poignantly portray an individual's struggle to navigate through life's challenges while staying true to a dear friend they hold dear. The song begins with an acknowledgment of the chaos and violence that exists in the world, making it harder to see who one's true friends are. The lyrics then focus on the singer's commitment to his "far east man" and not letting him down. Despite the ups and downs of life, love, and questioning if it's a lie or worthwhile, the singer remains committed to his friend. While sometimes doubts may arise, the singer's heart takes charge, and they continue to do everything they can to support their friend, even in tough times.

The use of the term "Far East Man" throughout the song adds to its poetic sensibility. With the inclusion of this enigmatic descriptor, the lyrics take on a mystical quality that adds to the overarching message that friendship is powerful, and it is worth the fight, even in challenging times.

The song's message and lyrics are somewhat open to interpretation. In some ways, the lyrics could be seen to reflect on the idea of the struggles of the artist managing the creative process while also trying to keep up their relationships with loved ones. Alternatively, the lyrics may speak to a more contemplative, spiritual level of understanding, where the singer has to balance their dedication to a higher power while maintaining their friendships and identity. Regardless of interpretation, the lyrics in "Far East Sweets" are delivered with passion and conviction, making it an exceptionally moving song.

Line by Line Meaning

While the world wages war
As the world is in constant conflict

It gets harder to see
It becomes challenging to identify who truly supports you

Who your friends really are
To distinguish your genuine friends

I don't wanna let him down
I am determined not to disappoint my friend

Gotta do what I can
I will exhaust all my abilities to help my friend

I won't let him drown
I will prevent my friend's downfall

He's a far east man
My friend is from the Far East

All these ups and those downs
The highs and lows of life

Makes me question what love is
That experience prompts me to ponder the true essence of love

Is it a lie or worthwhile?
Whether love is genuine or not

Oh sometimes for sure don't take so long
At times, it quickly becomes evident