Medeski, Martin & Wood Best Of The Blue Note Years 1998-2005 CD

Medeski, Martin & Wood: Chris Wood (bass instrument); John Medeski, Billy Martin.
Personnel: Danny Blume (guitar, baritone guitar); Marc Ribot (guitar); John Medeski (melodica, piano, keyboards); Michael Herbst (bass clarinet, baritone saxophone); Stuart Bogie (tenor saxophone); Jordan McLean, Todd M. Simon (trumpet, flugelhorn); Aaron Johnson (trombone); Billy Martin (keyboards, drums, percussion); Chris Wood (bass drum); Eddie Bobe (congas); DJ Logic, Dj P Love, DJ Olive (turntables).
Audio Remixer: Billy Martin.
Liner Note Author: Bill Miklowski.
Recording information: Harwood Industries & Turtle Tone Studios, New York, NY (??/1997-09/2003); Shacklyn Studios, Brooklyn, NY (??/1997-09/2003); Shacklyn, Brooklyn, NY (??/1997-09/2003); The Barn, Bearsville, NY (??/1997-09/2003); The Magic Shop, New York, NY (??/1997-09/2003); The Medina, Los Feliz, CA (??/1997-09/2003); Tonic, New York, NY (??/1997-09/2003).
Photographer: Danny Clinch.
Groove-jazz trio Medeski, Martin & Wood alighted upon an ingenious formula when they began mixing traditional jazz playing with informal funk workouts and an experimental compositional approach borrowed from hip-hop and electronica. The fusion was a hit with discerning jazz listeners and jam band fans alike, and the group boosted their profile even further when they signed to Blue Note in the late 1990s.
MM&W released some of their best and most adventurous albums on Blue Note between 1998 and 2005, and NOTE BLEU culls some of the finest cuts from those albums. From the sonic collages of COMBUSTICATION (with guest artist DJ Logic) to the dreamy, acoustic rendition of "Hey Joe" from TONIC, the trio are always ready to push the envelope, but never at the expense of either their formidable chops or groove-centered accessibility. This best-of set is a great place to sample the trio's Blue Note work, or to get a general overview to their sound.
Medeski, Martin & Wood have a large and devoted base of fans who probably already own every one of the trio's albums, including every Blue Note album. So why would they be interested in what's essentially a "Blue Note years best-of" collection? Note Bleu is a well-thought-out distillation of their work spanning 1998-2005, but there's nothing a completist would need since everything has been previously released. That's where the "Deluxe Edition" comes in, adding three bonus tracks that were previously unavailable in the U.S.: one outtake from The Dropper and two from the John King sessions that produced End of the World Party (Just in Case). However, the real excitement is contained in the bonus DVD. In addition to three music videos, there is excellent footage of the band performing live at both the Newport Jazz Festival and the Texaco Jazz Festival (featuring DJ Logic). There are also two very interesting documentaries. The Dropper is the longer of the two, mixing lots of performance footage with some bio/interview segments and even a bit of animation of illy B's drawings. It's as much a performance film as a documentary. Foreplay is much shorter, but probably more interesting as it features them in the studio, not only performing but discussing their thoughts and methods regarding the recording process, their evolution as a band, and what they strive for musically. It's a fascinating look behind the scenes. There are also a couple photo galleries, but the live footage and the documentaries alone make this set easily worth it for the already established fan. ~ Sean Westergaard
Medeski, Martin & Wood had already created a series of fine albums and a fervent following before they were signed to Blue Note, one of the most prestigious labels in jazz history. But rather than taking it easy after having made it in the jazz world, MM&W actually pushed the envelope even further during the Blue Note years, continually challenging their listeners as well as themselves. Note Bleu: The Best of the Blue Note Years: 1998-2005 compiles tracks from