Medeski Martin and Wood played the Gijon Jazz Festival on Sunday and turned in a pretty authoritative performance of keyboard led funk jazz. The somewhat up market and seated Jovellanos Theatre is perhaps not the best place to see a trio that, for the most part, specializes in dance music - OK with a few avant garde flourishes and a drum solo but most of it leans to the foot-tapping and hip-grooving heavy funk - and there was a disconnect in first half hour or so that felt like watching a movie with an overly reverential audience providing no response at all. Very odd. A stand up venue would have been much more suitable and we'll see how Gregory Porter fares in the same venue on Saturday. However, by the end of the 90 minute set MMW had broken through the ice and finished with a stomping Hammond driven Booker T and the MGs style soul groove and then a gorgeous slow blues as encore. Definitely the two highlights of the night.
There's er... very little to see in these two clips so just enjoy the music.
