Medeski, Martin & Wood Combustication Vinyl 2LP
 
Newly Remastered For Blue Note 75th Anniversary Vinyl!
 
Newly-remastered for vinyl as part of an overall Blue Note 75th anniversary vinyl reissue campaign spearheaded by current Blue Note Records President, Don Was.
 
The fifth major album by the trio of John Medeski, Billy Martin, Chris Wood, released in 1998, was their first album for Blue Note Records.  The tracklisting includes a unique instrumental take on the Sly and the Family Stone hit "Everyday People" and the Hawaiian traditional "No Ke Ano Ahiahi".
 
As the only jazz band to be accepted by the neo-hippies of the HORDE '90s, Medeski, Martin & Wood pulled off the strange coup of being embraced by rock and jazz audiences, who both loved their endless improvisations. They managed to walk the fine line dividing between the two camps, as their funkified soul-jazz was self-referential and cerebral, not earthy and instinctual.
 
Perhaps because it is their first effort for a real jazz label (Blue Note), Combustication happens to be their most adventurous effort yet. Ironically, it's because the group embraces alt-rock and hip-hop conventions like turntable scratching. That ultimately turns out to be just window-dressing, however -- beneath it all, Medeski, Martin & Wood's music remains essentially the same, but the handful of curve balls makes Combustication worth close listening for those already on their side.
 
Medeski, Martin & Wood Combustication Track Listing:
 
LP 1 
1. Sugar Craft
2. Just Like I Pictured It
3. Start Stop
4. Nocturne
5. Hey-Hee-Hi-Ho
6. Whatever Happened to Gus
 
LP 2 
 
1. Latin Shuffle
2. Everyday People
3. Coconut Boogaloo
4. Church of Logic
5. No Ke Ano Ahiahi
6. Hypnotized