Gregory Rogove - Piana
(CD/LP/Digital) Knitting Factory Records, 2012-01-31

Claude Debussy is a major inspiration for musicians of every faith in popular music. Debussy's seeds can be found in bossa nova, pop or contemporary jazz music from Antonio Carlos Jobim to Ryuchi Sakamoto, from Chilly Gonzales to Joe Henry just to name a few. And now young and talented multi-instrumentalist Gregory Rogove (Megapuss, Priestbird, Devendra Banhart) join this growing number of disciples. Piana (the female for piano?) is a moving collection of mere compositions for piano solo in the manner of the french masters - Debussy, but also the most eccentric pianist of all, Erik Satie. It's brilliant, often melancholic, sometimes funny, and it reminds us of the music played live over the silent movies in early cinema. John Medeski (of Medeski Martin & Wood) is the one and only guest musician on the record, but do not expect sick and mean hammond grooves à la MMW this time. John plays only the piano, and it's an amazing opportunity to hear him as we've never heard him before (except maybe on Marian McPartland's show). But why on earth did Gregory Rogove ask John Medeski to play on his record when he could have performed his own music? Yes, why?
"I asked John Medeski to perform the pieces for a number of reasons. First of all, he is a master performer with a very intimate knowledge of the instrument - something that I am not. Secondly, I thought that it would be interesting to capture the subterranean intensity of having a virtuosic improviser perform simple, composed pieces. Lastly, he's kinda cute" Greg said. The CD comes with a DVD featuring convincing remixes from The Bees, Billy Martin and Devendra Banhart among others.

Medeski, Martin & Wood - 20
(Digital), Indirecto Records, 2012-12-20

Medeski, Martin & Wood have been celebrating their 20th birthday in many brilliant ways this year. First of all they gave memorable shows in the US and Europe (notably a residence at the Whitney Museum, NYC and a triumphant gig in Paris, Cité de la Musique), sharing the stage with longtime friends like John Scofield, Steven Bernstein or Antibalas. Secondly they released a killer live album in november, MSMW LIVE: In Case the World Changes Its Mind, and also Fly in A Bottle, a documentary on DVD (directed by Billy Martin). At last they released digital tracks every month until March to December to build a solid 20-tracks series with brand new material, simply called 20. The tunes were recorded month after month (with a gap in the series in October due to Irene storm, an incident which gave birth to a track called Mean Irene in the December delivery). On 20, every MMW fan will get what he loves. The Medeski, Martin & Wood spectrum goes from avant-groove and experimental compositions (Synesthesia) to mellow-soul pieces (Silk, Floodwaters, Illmoan), from mean and sick punk frenzy (Aquila the Hyun) to ragtime (Down On Me), not to mention two nice DJ Olive mixes. The last delivery this December finds the band at its grooviest with three hypnotic soulful singles. Hey guys, all we need now is a nice 20 CD. (Nicolas Ragonneau)

Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood - In Case the World Changes Its Mind
(2xCD/Digital) Indirecto Records IR13, 2011-11-08

On November 8, 2011, Indirecto Records releases MSMW LIVE: In Case the World Changes Its Mind, a double-live album featuring guitar guru John Scofield and genrebusting improvisational jazz trio Medeski Martin & Wood. Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood first recorded together on Scofield's A Go Go (Verve 1998), a project that united the group on material composed by Scofield and interpreted by all four musicians. In 2006, MSMW collaborated again on Out Louder (Indirecto Records), a jam-packed release full of irresistible grooves and spontaneous improvisation. Out Louder was a genuine four-way collaboration between Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood. "A Go Go was John's record and we were essentially sidemen, where Out Louder musically comes from all of us", explains Wood. Scofield adds that much of the material was composed when the foursome "would play free stuff, listen back, make a song out of it, and then go back with that idea in mind and play free again". MSMW LIVE: In Case the World Changes Its Mind is a live collection of twelve tracks culled from their 2006 MSMW tour and features music from Scofield's A Go Go and MSMW's Out Louder.

Paris DJs Soundsystem presents Steven Bernstein - A Trumpet's Life pt.2 (MP3 Podcast on www.ParisDJs.com) 2011-09-27 We've introduced our listeners to Steven Bernstein's incredible trumpet playing and arranging skills last month, with a 40mn eclectic jazz mix. We've also published an interview (in english or french) and went to see him play his Sly Stone tribute show in Paris on sept 11, opening for Medeski, Martin and Wood; it was really amazing, the best double-bill of the year in the French capital so far!! His new album MTO plays Sly is out today and here's the second part of our A...

Medeski, Martin & Wood - 20 years of friendship and chemistry
(Interview by Nicolas Ragonneau, for Paris DJs - summer 2011)

The great Medeski Martin & Wood trio celebrates its 20 years of music with a series of shows (a very special one at Paris' Jazz à la Villette fest on September 11th), a bunch of singles releases and a double live album with John Scofield, awaited this fall. Billy Martin remembers the beginning of the group and tells us about his new projects.

Medeski, Martin & Wood - 20 ans d'alchimie et d'amitié
(Interview par Nicolas Ragonneau, pour Paris DJs - été 2011)

Le trio Medeski Martin & Wood célèbre ses vingt ans de carrière par une série de concerts (dont une date exceptionnelle à Jazz à la Villette le 11 septembre) la sortie mensuelle de singles et la sortie cet automne d'un double live avec John Scofield. Billy Martin se souvient des débuts du groupe et évoque ses futurs projets.

Paris DJs Soundsystem presents Steven Bernstein - A Trumpet's Life pt.1 (MP3 Podcast on www.ParisDJs.com) 2011-08-31 I distinctly remember discovering Steven Bernstein's incredible trumpet playing and arranging through one of his bands, Sex Mob and their album Din of Inequity, which included some John Medeski featurings and hard-to-believe covers of Prince, John Barry, Paul McCartney and a few others. It was the end of the 90s and France was as lost musically as it is today, with musical ignorance reigning supreme. Things have been slowly evolving thanks to independent medias such as Paris...

Mike Rivard (Club d'Elf) - The Trance Mix (MP3 Podcast on www.ParisDJs.com) 2011-08-21 "The crux of Moroccan music is trance. Trance as a quality in music has always attracted me, whether it's an extended James Brown cut, or something by Fela or Steve Reich. I've always sought out music that allows you to forget where and who you are and to break free from the mind's constant chatter", bassist and Club d'Elf founder Mike Rivard said once. Club d'Elf has just released a new and stunning double-album, Electric Moroccoland/So Below (Face Pelt), where jazz, freeform improvisation, rock...

Club d'Elf - Electric Moroccoland / So Below
(2CD/Download) Face Pelt Records, 2011-04-05

Club d'Elf's long-awaited studio follow-up to Now I Understand (2006). A double-disc set, Electric Moroccoland/So Below represents two distinct sides of the groups sound: Moroccan trance (Electric Moroccoland) and funky electronica/DJ-driven beats (So Below). More than 10 years in the making, it features over 26 musicians including John Medeski, DJ Logic, Dana Colley & the late Mark Sandman of Morphine (in some of his last recorded performances), Dave Tronzo, Brahim Fribgane, and Hassan Hakmoun singing a Gnawa-ified version of Cream's Sunshine Of Your Love. 22 tracks worth of music for a playing time of over 145 minutes.

Jazz à La Villette : Medeski, Martin & Wood / Steven Bernstein & The Millennial Territory Orchestra play Sly
Dimanche 11 Septembre 2011 à 17h à La Cité de la Musique

Chaque année début septembre, Jazz à la Villette s'amuse à enjamber les frontières entre les styles musicaux. Le jazz y accueille des créateurs parmi les plus engagés et novateurs du hip-hop, des musiques improvisées, de la pop ou du funk. "Jazz is not dead, it just smells funny" ironisait Frank Zappa. Jazz à la Villette fait sienne cette devise pour dix jours de fête au son d'une musique plus vivante que jamais! A ne pas manquer, cette double affiche avec le Steven Bernstein's Millenial Territory Orchestra qui vient présenter ses ré-interprétations de Sly Stone - dont l'album MTO Plays Sly sortira le 27 septembre - avec en guest John Medeski, suivi d'un show du trio extraordinaire Medeski, Martin & Wood dont nous vous vantons les mérites depuis les années 90!! Un interview de Billy Martin sera disponible très prochainement sur Paris DJs. Quand au trompettiste Steven Bernstein, que nous avions découvert par un de ses groupes, Sex Mob, restez connectés car nous préparons avec lui une réelle rencontre, à base de mixes, interview et photos...