Biography
Medeski, Martin & Wood (often abbreviated MMW) is an American jazz trio formed in New York City in 1991, bringing together keyboardist John Medeski, drummer/percussionist Billy Martin, and bassist Chris Wood.[2][9] Medeski, a former child prodigy from Kentucky, and Wood, raised in Colorado, first met as students at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where they began playing together in various settings.[1][6] Martin, a New York City native immersed in downtown experimental and world-music scenes, was introduced to them by his mentor, drummer Bob Moses, completing a lineup that quickly found an immediate and organic chemistry at their first jam in Martin’s Brooklyn loft.[1][2][3] The trio’s first official engagement at New York’s Village Gate in 1991 led to regular rehearsals, a growing book of original material, and their self-released debut, Notes from the Underground (1992), which showcased an acoustic-rooted but already adventurous approach.[2][3]
Throughout the 1990s, MMW emerged from the New York downtown avant‑garde scene and built a national following through relentless touring and an increasingly groove‑oriented sound that bridged free improvisation with funk, rock, and hip‑hop aesthetics.[2] Early albums such as It’s a Jungle in Here (1993) and Friday Afternoon in the Universe (1995) on Gramavision blended Thelonious Monk and Bob Marley medleys with original tunes, signaling their refusal to respect stylistic boundaries.[2] Their 1996 album Shack‑Man, recorded in a remote practice shack in the Maui jungle, became a breakthrough within the nascent jam‑band community, aided by high‑profile live collaborations with Phish.[2] After fielding interest from 17 labels, they signed to the legendary Blue Note Records in 1998, where albums like Combustication (with DJ Logic), The Dropper, and Uninvisible pushed further into studio experimentation, hip‑hop production ideas, and textural exploration while retaining deep, danceable grooves.[1][2][4]
Musically, MMW is known for straddling the line between avant‑garde improvisation and accessible, rhythm‑driven jazz, often framed as a reimagined organ trio that swaps guitar for adventurous bass and extended percussion.[2] Medeski’s arsenal of Hammond B‑3, electric pianos, and analog keyboards, Wood’s earthy acoustic and electric bass lines, and Martin’s polyrhythmic, global‑influenced drumming create a highly interactive trio language that is at once elastic and tightly grooving.[2][3][7] Over nearly three decades, they have become a key reference point in modern jazz‑fusion and the jam‑band world, credited with helping spark a renaissance in B‑3–based organ trios and making collaborations with DJs and turntablists an accepted part of contemporary jazz practice.[2] Alongside their group work, all three members have pursued prolific side projects—such as Medeski’s work with The Word and John Scofield, Wood’s roots‑oriented duo The Wood Brothers, and Martin’s Amulet Records and percussion projects—further extending the trio’s influence across jazz, rock, jam, and experimental music scenes.[2][3][4][8]
Fun Facts
- Their breakthrough album Shack‑Man was recorded entirely in a rustic shack in the Maui jungle, where the band had been living and rehearsing; the makeshift studio environment became central to the album’s earthy, groove‑heavy sound.[1][2]
- Before settling on the name Medeski, Martin & Wood, the trio briefly considered other band names and even made one round of homemade press kits with an early name before friends persuaded them to use their surnames instead.[3]
- When they were shopping for a new label in the late 1990s, MMW were courted by an extraordinary 17 different record companies before ultimately signing with Blue Note Records in 1998.[1]
- Medeski originally played mostly acoustic piano with the group, but as they began extensive touring he switched to the Hammond B‑3 organ and an array of electric keyboards, both for portability and to better support their evolving, amplified, groove‑oriented sound.[2]
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Bob Moses - Legendary jazz drummer who mentored Billy Martin and connected him with John Medeski and Chris Wood, helping catalyze the formation of the trio. (Early pre‑MMW performances and sessions in the New York/Boston jazz scenes; indirect influence on MMW’s rhythmic and improvisational concepts.) [1980s–early 1990s]
Key Collaborators
- DJ Logic - Turntablist who became an unofficial fourth member, appearing on recordings and extensive touring, integrating hip‑hop DJ culture into the trio’s sound. (Album Combustication (Blue Note debut) and late‑1990s tours, plus "shack parties" at the Knitting Factory.) [Late 1990s–early 2000s[2]]
- John Scofield - Jazz guitarist who used MMW as a backing and collaborative band, blending groove‑jazz, funk, and improvisation. (Albums including A Go Go and subsequent Scofield projects featuring MMW as his band.[1][4]) [Late 1990s–2000s]
- Phish - Jam‑band pioneers who shared stages and live collaborations, helping introduce MMW to the jam‑band audience. (Two widely circulated live collaborations and shared festival bills that boosted MMW’s national profile.[2]) [Mid‑1990s]
- A Tribe Called Quest - Hip‑hop group with whom MMW shared live bills, underscoring the trio’s crossover appeal to hip‑hop audiences. (Shared concert appearances and festivals.[4]) [1990s]
- The Roots - Hip‑hop/neo‑soul band who shared stages with MMW, reflecting mutual interest in live, groove‑based improvisation. (Shared concerts and festival appearances.[4]) [1990s–2000s]
- Iggy Pop - Punk icon for whom MMW served as a studio backing band on selected recordings. (Backing‑band work on Iggy Pop recordings as cited by the LA Phil.[4]) [Late 1990s–2000s]
- Robert Randolph / The Word - Sacred‑steel guitarist and the gospel‑jam ensemble The Word, featuring Medeski as a key keyboardist. (The Word’s recordings and performances featuring John Medeski on keyboards.[3][4]) [Early 2000s onward]
- Vernon Reid - Guitarist (Living Colour) who joined MMW at their experimental "shack parties" at the Knitting Factory. (Live collaborations during weekly "shack parties" emphasizing free improvisation and genre mixing.[2]) [Late 1996–late 1990s]
Artists Influenced
- Contemporary B‑3 organ trios and jam‑jazz ensembles (e.g., Soulive, Garage A Trois – representative, not formally documented as direct proteges) - MMW is credited with helping revive and popularize the modern Hammond B‑3–based organ trio and making groove‑heavy, improvisation‑driven jazz fashionable in jam‑band circuits, influencing a wave of groups that followed this template. (Influence most evident in post‑1990s organ‑trio recordings and jam‑jazz festival programming; Blue Note notes that MMW "carved paths that other musicians have followed," particularly in B‑3 organ trios and DJ collaborations.[2]) [Late 1990s–2010s]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| End Of The World Party (Just In Case) | 2004-01-01 | Album |
| Uninvisible | 2002-01-01 | Album |
| Combustication | 1998-01-01 | Album |
| Let's Go Everywhere | 2014-01-21 | Album |
| Shack-man | 1996 | Album |
| Friday Afternoon In The Universe | 1995 | Album |
| 20 | 2012-03-27 | Album |
| The Dropper | 2000-01-01 | Album |
| It's A Jungle In Here | 1993 | Album |
| Out Louder | 2006-09-26 | Album |
| Juice | 2014-09-16 | Album |
| Omnisphere | 2018-09-14 | Album |
| Radiolarians 1 | 2008-09-30 | Album |
| Tonic | 2000-01-01 | Album |
| Notes from the Underground | 1992-01-22 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Shine It (End Of The World Party (Just In Case))
- I Wanna Ride You (Uninvisible)
- Uninvisible (Uninvisible)
- Mami Gato (End Of The World Party (Just In Case))
- Just Like I Pictured It (Combustication)
- Bubblehouse (Shack-man)
- Where's the Music (Let's Go Everywhere)
- Pappy Check (Uninvisible)
- Fuck You Guys (First Take) (20)
- Hey-Hee-Hi-Ho (Combustication)
External Links
Heard on WWOZ
Medeski, Martin & Wood has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 15, 2025 | 08:08 | Jean`s Scenefrom Radiolarians III | The Morning Setw/ Stuart Hall |