Medeski, Martin & Wood | Friday Afternoon In The Universe

AllMusic Review by Richard S. Ginell

Here, the MMW direction and loyalties become very clear; they're possessed and driven by the fatback funk and instruments of an earlier generation. John Medeski becomes one of the wave of keyboardists in the '90s who started dragging wonderful old Wurlitzer electric pianos, Hohner clavinets, Hammond organs, wah-wah pedals, and other devices out of the mothballs, and used them almost as quasi-percussion instruments at times. Chris Wood remains resolutely on standup bass, playing with a great feeling for Billy Martin's supremely funky drumming. Some of the results harken back to Miles Davis' jungle bands of the mid-'70s, picking up on the atonality and crosstalk over the JB's/Sly Stone beat ("We're So Happy"). Others are just happy to groove along on the rhythms of some of the most irresistible group chemistry of the 1990s.

John Medeski organ, piano, wurlitzer, clavinet Billy Martin drums, percussion Chris Wood acoustic bass, harmonica, wood flute Danny Blume guitar Tonino Benson raygun, vocals Carl Green Thai flute



1- The Lover 2- Paper Bass 6:19 3- House Mop 7:15 4- Last Chance To Dance Trance (Perhaps) 11:02 5- Baby Clams 18:34 6- We're So Happy 19:48 7- Shack 28:05 8- Tea 31:11 9- Chinoiserie 32:24 10- Between Two Limbs 38:09 11- Sequel 39:12 12- Friday Afternoon In The Universe 44:37 13- Billy's Tool Box 50:38 14- Chubb Sub 51:13 15- Khob Khun Krub (Thai For 'Thank You') 56:16