During my first experience with the talented John Medeski, Billy Martin and Chris Wood, I never stopped dancing once ? no one did.
Only a few months after visiting Rochester during the International Jazz Festival, MMW was back again last Friday night. They must have left a lasting impact on the Rochester jazz scene, because twice as many fans were crammed into the Clark Gym at Rochester Institute of Technology, and I sensed a dance riot.
However, the music that we rolled into during the first set was quite different than at the previous performance I attended. MMW definitely lit up to the fact that it was Friday the 13th by jamming out some very loose psychedelic jazz grooves that immersed all the attendants in an eerie atmosphere.
I can’t get over how accomplished these jazz artists are. They not only have the patience to let each member lead themself far off track, but also have the courage to let go, and experiment with some very loose, discordant jams in front of a live audience.
They did, and everyone grooved it, especially Billy Martin up on stage. He was in the zone all night without slipping once. Each time I looked up on stage he had a different percussion instrument out of his huge collection of African, Asian and Brazilian pieces, just making it work.
I think a minority of people were a little on edge during the break, maybe having heard something other than what they had expected.
However, there were many reassurances rushing through the crowd that MMW would come out huge with some phat jams after the break.
All those who said this were dead on. As soon as Wood picked up his electric bass, there was dancing galore.
MMW ripped it up, falling out of very tight jams into very free solos and then right back into the tight jams again with the crowd’s dance following their rhythm.
Some of the spectacular moments were the unexpected ? I think both on and off stage ? jump into Jimi Hendrix’s “Fire” and Billy’s huge solo that lasted over ten minutes and was so fast it seemed like the guy’s arms were rubber.
This is not to mention one of the most memorable encores that I have seen, in which MMW went completely unplugged to the front of the stage, dancing around, displaying their love for the music and just creating a happy mood for all.
These guys create sounds like no other musicians have before.
Babcock can be reached at cbabcock@campustimes.org.
