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Combustication
Participated by Medeski Martin & Wood
Studio : Blue Note Records
by Blue Note Records
Release Date : 1998-08-11
Publisher : Blue Note Records
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
EAN : 0724349301122
UPC : 724349301122
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 57 reviews)
List Price : $16.98
Our Price : $7.13
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Americancivilwar.com's Best of 1998 |
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The rather plainly named Medeski Martin & Wood have almost single-handedly returned the spotlight to the more out-there fusion between bop jazz and on-the-one funky rock music. Wheezing and huffing behind a bank of old-school keyboards, Medeski Martin & Wood plow into their songs with abandon. The drums of Billy Martin push the band out and away rather than gathering them neat and tidy, while bassist Chris Wood delivers the rhythms that somehow manage to keep every musical tidbit strapped to the deck. For his part, keyboardist John Medeski slaps and whacks his keys with inspired malice, all the while leaning heavy on the volume pedal. With the addition of DJ Logic further warping this band's sound, Medeski Martin & Wood have reached escape velocity and are now orbiting the planet. They may never come back. --S. Duda |
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Americancivilwar.com essential recording |
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On their Blue Note Records debut, MMW move away from the diffuse, free form jams that characterized their 1996 release, Shack-Man, but the organ trio's trademark free-jazz-daring meets groove-happy-funk approach isn't diminished by move. The return to the more tightly focused approach that characterized Friday Afternoon in the Universe, may be motivated by commercial concerns (how many more Phishheads can they possibly convert?) but it's also a musical triumph; Combustication is the trio's finest of their six recordings. DJ Logic's warbling scratches enliven "Start-Stop" and "Church of Logic." Poet Steve Cannon recites some appropriately fried verses on "What Ever Happened to Gus," and the band takes Sly Stone's "Everyday People" away from Madison Avenue and into the Southern Baptist church. But is it jazz? Well, as Lester Bowie once said to a similar inquiry, "It depends on what you know." --Martin Johnson |
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Don't see what the fuss is all about |
Trying to stretch my musical tastes, and liking jazz on the whole, I tried this group and this CD, as Americancivilwar selected this an essential recording....
I wouldn't have labelled it so. Going to resell this soon. No matter how many listens, I am unimpressed.
I like music, meaning chord structures that permit melody, sensible counterpoint, and harmonies however abstract...but this effort is generally lacking. To me its a little like Pat Metheny's "The Way Up" (which I own and listen to very occasionally)...someone might appreciate it for what it tries to do (stretch the concepts of music and jazz) and for the occasional tunefulness, but its not a "must listen".
I wonder if Martin, Medeski or Wood have any Frank Zappa albums. If not, they could learn a little about jazz creativity from "Jazz From Hell", also an album that I don't and won't own.
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Unique |
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MMW has always defined their own style and paved their own musical way.......this is another classic example of how NOT to cater to big labels. These guys teeter on the fence of jazz and jam........nice combo for most of the listeners who wouldn't know how to react to pure jazz. |
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Some of the Best of MMW |
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With each new album that MMW puts out they continually push the limit of what is considered jazz. Combustication is definately one of those albums. This keyboard-bass-drum trio combines their special blend of free-formed acid jazz with guest dj logic's turntables. This album shows why MMW are one of the most exciting and innovative bands of their time. |
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Finally |
Some destrucured jazz that i love so much !!!
Du blue note en force....
Wai good sound from titan !!! |
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MMW at their best |
This is truly one of the better MMW albums. This album has songs which are upbeat (like Sugarcraft and Latin Shuffle), but in general are more laid back than other MMW albums. The slower tempo allows us to see another side of this trio which is great.
I have to admit that it took a while for this album to stick to me when I first bought it. At the time, I was primarily into MMW for the faster grooves that they have on other albums (Shackman and Last Chance to....). I listened to it a few times and put it on the shelf for a while until I gave it another try. Since then, this CD has been on heavy rotation in my stereo. |
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