Medeski, Martin and Wood

Combustication

****

Combustication is an apt title for Medeski, Martin and Wood's new CD. Hot on the heals of serving as John Scofield's backup band for the legendary guitar player's current release, "A Go Go," MMW are, to put it simply, on fire.

In the hands of MMW, the bass, drums and keyboards transcend their regular roles and speak with countless voices. They bend funk grooves into acid-roasted jazz pretzels that are hot, uniquely twisted and-oh-so-very-tasty. From the beatnik gem, "Whatever Happened To Gus," to the techno influenced "Sugar Crait," every track smokes a different blend of musical influences. True to the improvisational essence of their scorching live shows, there's plenty of inspired jamming on Combustication. As usual, MMW keep the instrumentation lean, so there's plenty of open spaces and intense dynamics among the instruments. Combustication is a blaze of creative energy that burns bright from the first spark, reflecting the intense flame stoking MMW's musical furnace.