Tag: Wiggly’s Way

Medeski, Martin & Wood – Jamaica 2016

Medeski, Martin & Wood began 2016 (their 25th year playing together!) with a handful of shows in Jamaica opening for moe. and Little Feat. Fortunately for us, Little Feat archivist Chris Cafiero was on hand filming the first three nights (of the four), and he even snagged soundboard audio patches each night. Another taper, Steve Wilner also filmed with cameras at both stage right and stage left, as well as front of house. These tapers graciously shared the raw files with me and now we can all enjoy all three nights in multi-camera glory. If you’re an MMW fan, get ready for 3 hours of couch tour! Did I mention that Chris is playing only his Fender Jazz bass for the whole run? Or that they bust out tons of old favorites and get into a large amount of tasty groove-based improvisation? I shouldn’t have to say anything else. But I will say cheers to #MMW25! We’re off to a great start and let’s hope they book a lot more gigs, including something in New Orleans for Jazz Fest!

Medeski Martin & Wood 1/12/16 Jamaica

Medeski Martin & Wood 1/11/16 Runaway Bay, Jamaica @ Jewel Paradise Cove Resort – Tropical Throe.down 2016:
Sorrow [David Bowie / The McCoys cover] > Lonely Avenue [Ray Charles cover] > Think > Improv > Is There Anybody Here That Love My Jesus, Gonzo [James Booker cover]

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Medeski Martin & Wood 1/12/16 Jamaica

Medeski Martin & Wood 1/12/16 Runaway Bay, Jamaica @ Jewel Paradise Cove Resort – Tropical Throe.down 2016:
Improv > Coconut Boogaloo > Henduck > Improv > Shackman

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Medeski Martin & Wood 1/13/16 Jamaica

Medeski Martin & Wood 1/13/16 Runaway Bay, Jamaica @ Jewel Paradise Cove Resort – Tropical Throe.down 2016:
Chinoiserie [Duke Ellington cover], Just Like I Pictured It, Night Marchers > Improv > Wiggly’s Way, Brigas Nunca Mais [Antonio Carlos Jobim / Elis Regina cover], Heaven On Earth [Larry Young cover]

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You can find the audio downloads for all 3 nights over at bt.etree.org.
Night 1
Night 2
Night 3

Also, for a limited time, I have the 8 gig edited video files (with uncompressed LPCM audio) from each night available for download.
Night 1
Night 2
Night 3

VIDEO: Will Bernard’s Blue Plate Special with John Medeski, Kirk Joseph & Terence Higgins

Will Bernard's Blue Plate Special with John Medeski & Kirk Joseph

Will Bernard’s Blue Plate Special 4/30/15 New Orleans, LA @ Little Gem Saloon’s Ramp Room
Part 1 of 3: Baby Goats (second half), Blister

Will Bernard’s Blue Plate Special 4/30/15 New Orleans, LA @ Little Gem Saloon’s Ramp Room
Part 2 of 3: Dead Dog In The Street [Kirk Joseph] > Tubby [James Booker cover]

Will Bernard’s Blue Plate Special 4/30/15 New Orleans, LA @ Little Gem Saloon’s Ramp Room
Part 3 of 3:Set Two: Awanna (with Wil Blades) > 571 (with Wil Blades), Adele [Kirk Joseph], Briar Patch [Brother Jack McDuff cover], You Haven’t Done Nothin’ [Stevie Wonder cover]
Encore: Wiggly’s Way [Medeski Martin & Wood cover]

Will Bernard’s Blue Plate Special
April 30, 2015
New Orleans, LA @ Little Gem Saloon’s Ramp Room

AUDIO DOWNLOAD: FLAC TORRENT or LIVE MUSIC ARCHIVE


Recorded, Mixed, & Mastered by Phil Harris – PH Balanced Recordings
SBD matrix: Schoeps CCM5’s + Royer SF12 > 4 x Forssell SMP-500a / Radial Six Pack Workhorse > Tascam DR-70D at 24/96
-mics onstage center
-Schoeps positioned horizontally (ORTF/Cardioid) at 4′
-Royer positioned vertically (Blumlein) at 5′
-mixed & processed to 16/44 with L3 + Cubase 7

Set One – 11pm:
01. Inside Straight [Cannonball Adderley / Dirty Dozen Brass Band cover] >
02. Baby Goats
03. Blister
04. ???
05. Dead Dog In The Street [Kirk Joseph] >
06. Tubby [James Booker cover]

Set Two – 12:45pm:
07. Awanna > (with Wil Blades)
08. 571 (with Wil Blades)
09. Adele [Kirk Joseph]
10. Briar Patch [Brother Jack McDuff cover]
11. You Haven’t Done Nothin’ [Stevie Wonder cover]
Encore:
12. Wiggly’s Way [Medeski Martin & Wood cover]

Will Bernard’s Blue Plate Special:
Will Bernard – guitar
John Medeski – organ, piano
Kirk Joseph – sousaphone
Terence Higgins – drums

Guests:
Wil Blades – organ

Will Bernard's Blue Plate Special with Wil Blades

Medeski Martin & Wood’s End of the World Party at New Orleans Jazz Fest 2004

Still on the Medeski Martin & Wood tip. If you’ve ever seen this Russian polka trio perform live then you’ve probably already been hooked, not only by their musical virtuosity but by their incessant grooves.




Today I present a full 2 hour video of MMW throwing it down at a 2004 late night show during New Orleans Jazz Fest. At the time, the band was fresh off of a west coast run of nine shows at small venues in which every show was complete improvisation. [I highly highly recommend dug’s five disc compilation: April Grooves 2004.]

After a few nights off MMW hit NOLA like a storm, busting out mainly new tunes from their End Of The World Party (Just In Case) album that they would release later that year. The first half of the show features the Sex Mob horns, Steven Bernstein on trumpet & Briggan Kraus on saxophone, and there is also a spacey improv section with Grant Calvin Weston on percussion and Briggan Kraus blowing some weird sounds on the sax. The encore also features the Sex Mob horns on one of John Medeski‘s classic tunes, Wiggly’s Way.

The full video is on youtube in 2 parts and the DVD version is available to download here.

Part 1/2:
Anonymous Skulls > Improv > Mami Gato > Down On Me
Sasa > Improv > Creole Love Call (w/ Snake Anthony bassline)

Part 2/2:
Drum Solo > Curtis > Bass Solo > Queen Bee
New Planet > Improv (w/ G. Calvin Weston & Briggan Kraus)
End Of The World Party
Encore: Whiney Bitches > Wiggly’s Way

Interesting tidbit: at the same time this show was occurring, David Bowie (with The Polyphonic Spree as his opening act) was playing literally across Canal Street at the Saenger Theater. It was a tough choice, but with two of my absolute favorite bands playing together, I just couldn’t miss this MMW / Ween co-headliner.

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