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
The City
Medeski Martin and Wood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Profusely apologize
You say "That's not like me"
Stereo lights turn on
They shine brightly
You turn the radio up, say "I love this song"
Like you're something out of a movie
And I really don't think
We should be going home yet
The city's our song
Let's make this a night
We'll never forget"
"Tell me, do you wanna go out dancing?
Do you wanna feel the weight of the world
Lift off your shoulders under the blacklight
As the bodies near us twirl around
Like geometric patterns too obscure for us to observe?"
You're slurring more than I have ever heard
And I'm falling fast and hard for every word
Then you stop dead in your tracks
Every plan you've made is suddenly taken back, explaining
"One day we will die
And only ghosts will be our friends"
I said, "The city's our song
Let's make this a night we'll never forget"
In Medeski Martin and Wood's song "The City," the lyrics depict a scene where the singer and their companion are driving through the city at night. The song starts with the accidental slamming of a car door, followed by profuse apologies. This small incident signifies the excitement and unpredictability of the night that lies ahead. As the stereo lights turn on, the atmosphere illuminates, and the radio starts playing a song that the singer's companion loves. At this moment, the companion becomes the singer of their own movie-like experience, exuding a sense of confidence and adventure.
The companion suggests that they shouldn't go home yet because the night is still young and full of possibilities. They declare that the city itself embodies their journey and vows to make it a night they will never forget. The lyrics then shift to the companion asking if the singer wants to go out dancing, seeking liberation from the weight of the world. They describe the euphoria and freedom that can be found on the dance floor, where bodies move in intricate patterns that are too enigmatic to fully comprehend.
However, the mood takes a somber turn when the companion suddenly stops and expresses a poignant realization. They contemplate the finite nature of life, stating that one day they will die, and only ghosts will be their friends. This introspective moment serves as a reminder of the transient nature of experiences and the importance of seizing the present. The singer, resolute in their desire to create lasting memories, reiterates that the city is their song and implores their companion to join them in making this night remarkable.
Overall, "The City" captures the energy, spontaneity, and introspection that can be found within a city's nocturnal landscape. It showcases the desire for adventure, the pursuit of liberation, and the embrace of fleeting moments that shape our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
You slam the car door shut, accidentally
In an unintended action, you forcefully close the car door
Profusely apologize
You express your apologies excessively
You say 'That's not like me'
You acknowledge that such behavior is uncharacteristic of you
Stereo lights turn on
The illumination on the car's stereo system activates
They shine brightly
The lights emit a strong and vibrant glow
You turn the radio up, say 'I love this song'
You increase the volume of the radio and express your admiration for the current song
Like you're something out of a movie
You resemble a character from a film due to your actions and demeanor
You say, 'The night's still young
You mention that there is still a considerable amount of time left in the evening
And I really don't think
You genuinely believe
We should be going home yet
It is premature for us to return home
The city's our song
The urban environment represents our anthem or theme
Let's make this a night
We should transform this occasion into
We'll never forget'
An unforgettable experience
'Tell me, do you wanna go out dancing?
Inform me if you desire to engage in dancing
Do you wanna feel the weight of the world
Do you seek to experience the burden of existence
Lift off your shoulders under the blacklight
To alleviate it beneath the ultraviolet illumination
As the bodies near us twirl around
While people in close proximity rotate rapidly
Like geometric patterns too obscure for us to observe?'
Similar to complicated shapes that elude our perception
You're slurring more than I have ever heard
Your speech is becoming increasingly indistinct, beyond any previous instance
And I'm falling fast and hard for every word
I am rapidly and profoundly developing strong affection for each spoken expression
Then you stop dead in your tracks
Abruptly, you come to a complete halt
Every plan you've made is suddenly taken back, explaining
You revoke all the arrangements you established, providing an explanation
'One day we will die
Someday, we will cease to live
And only ghosts will be our friends'
At that time, only spirits will be our companions
I said, 'The city's our song
I remarked that the metropolis symbolizes our anthem or theme
Let's make this a night we'll never forget'
We should transform this occasion into an unforgettable experience
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Sofia Verbilla
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind