MEDESKI, MARTIN & WOOD - Notes from the Underground (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Before they went electric and funky, John Medeski, Billy Martin, and Chris Wood were acoustic and funky -- and a lot of other things -- on this exciting early CD. They ruminate like a conventional jazz piano trio when the whim hits them, or move outside when Medeski explodes into Don Pullen-esque clusters. Their métier, though, was clearly the neo-funk thing, for when Martin pulls off those crackling hip-hop and M-Base-related beats on tracks like "Uncle Chubbs" and "Orbits," the band really achieves liftoff. "Caravan" gets a rolling New Orleans funk treatment, and the finale, "Querencia," is a lengthy excursion into dense avant-garde underbrush with a touch of the street in the beat. On several tracks, a three-brass, two-reeds horn section add an extra level of excitement, and the trio tracks are recorded live to DAT (hence the exceptionally crisp sound). by Richard S. Ginell
Tracklist :
1     Hermeto's Daydream 7:11
Billy Martin / John Medeski
2     The Saint 6:58
John Medeski
3     La Garonne 5:51
John Medeski
4     Orbits 4:25
Wayne Shorter
5     Uncle Chubb 7:04
Billy Martin / John Medeski / Chris Wood
6     Rebirth 4:43
Chuck D / Cerwin Depper / Gary G-Wiz / Billy Martin / John Medeski / Stuart Robertz / Chris Wood
7     Otis 6:28
John Medeski
8     United 8:29
Wayne Shorter
9     Caravan 8:18
Duke Ellington / Irving Mills / Juan Tizol
10     Querencia 12:48
John Medeski
Credits :
Bass – Chris Wood
Clarinet [Bass] – Doug Yates
Drums, Percussion, Artwork By [Cover Design] – Billy Martin
Piano, Arranged By [Horn] – John Medeski
Saxophone [Alto], Flute [Alto] – Thomas Chapin
Trombone – Curtis Hasselbring
Trombone, Tuba – Bill Lowe
Trumpet – Steven Bernstein