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| Medeski Martin and Wood - drawing from Aquarium Drunkard |
For a band that celebrated its 20
th anniversary
last year, the rate at which
Medeski, Martin and Wood continues to generate new, exciting content is quite commendable. In
the last 4 years alone, there’s been the three-album
Radiolarians project, which, save for an arrangement of “Satan Your
Kingdom Must Come Down”, was all-original newly written material. Just before Radiolarians was their children’s
album
Let’s Go Everywhere. They also found time to record an album of
John Zorn compositions entitled
Zaebos: Book of Angels, interpreting Zorn's music as
if it were their own (highly recommended). In 2011 Medeski, Martin
and Wood celebrated two-decades as a trio by releasing
20 – a batch of 20 new tunes made available digitally throughout
the year. There was also the special
limited-release live album
The Stone -
Issue 4, side projects, an
annual summer music camp, and more.
The latest from MMW is Free Magic, a live compilation from their
2007 acoustic tour. Featuring 5 voluminous
tracks spanning 65 minutes, Free Magic
covers the gamut of their (acoustic) sound.
From gamelan and South American inspired interludes, to tightly-knit
melodies, to free-form improvisations and mind-melding musical conversations, Free Magic is another highlight in a
long, extensive career. I’ve had these tracks on
repeat this week and am about to click "play" again now. I suggest you do the same if you want to hear
music free of borders, inhibitions and other limitations. Free
Magic is an apt title for the sounds conjured up by an ensemble in direct
contact with the free flowing artistic muse.
Free Magic track listing:
1. Doppler
2. Blues For Another Day
3. Free Magic/Ballade In C Minor
4. Where's Sly?
5. Nostalgia In Times Square/Angel Race
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