Combustication by Medeski, Martin & Wood is a pivotal album, both for the band and for the musical landscape of the late 1990s. Here's a breakdown of its context and importance.
About the Artist: Medeski, Martin & Wood (MMW)
The Trio: John Medeski (keyboards, primarily Hammond B3 organ), Billy Martin (drums & percussion), and Chris Wood (acoustic & electric bass).
Their Sound: MMW formed in the early 90s and built a reputation in the downtown New York City avant-garde scene. Their sound is a unique and potent brew of jazz, funk, soul, and hip-hop, with a heavy emphasis on improvisation. They are often categorized as "jam band," "acid jazz," or "avant-groove," but they transcend any single label. They function as a true collective, where each instrument is equal and the groove is paramount.
About the Album: *Combustication* (1998)
*Combustication* was a turning point for MMW. It was their first album released on the legendary jazz label **Blue Note Records**.
The Sound: This album marked a sonic shift. While their earlier work on the indie label Gramavision was often more acoustic and raw, *Combustication* is darker, funkier, and more atmospheric. The grooves are deeper and often have a "swampy," gritty feel. The production is more polished, with studio techniques and overdubs used to create a dense, textured soundscape that was harder to capture in a purely live setting. A key addition to their sound on this record was the collaboration with **DJ Logic**, who adds turntables and scratching, most notably on the title track, embedding a hip-hop texture directly into their jazz-funk core.
Key Tracks:
"Combustication": The title track is the perfect mission statement, with a slinky bassline, hypnotic organ, and DJ Logic's scratches weaving in and out.
"Latin Shuffle": A more upbeat, percussion-driven track that showcases their tight, infectious groove.
"Whatever Happened to Gus": A slower, more atmospheric piece featuring a haunting melodica line from Medeski.
"Nocturne": A beautiful, lyrical piece that highlights the trio's more sensitive and melodic side.
Cultural Relevance at the Time (Late 1990s)
*Combustication*'s release in 1998 was perfectly timed and culturally significant for several reasons:
1. **The Bridge Between Jam Bands and Jazz:** By the late 90s, the jam band scene (popularized by bands like Phish and Widespread Panic) was a massive cultural force. MMW were darlings of this scene, playing the same festivals and venues. Signing to Blue Note, the most respected label in jazz history, was a monumental step. It gave them a stamp of legitimacy in the formal jazz world, while their accessible funk and improvisational nature kept them firmly rooted in the jam scene. They effectively bridged two worlds that rarely overlapped so successfully.
2. **The American Acid Jazz Wave:** The "acid jazz" movement, which fused jazz with funk and soul, had been popular since the late 80s, but was largely a UK-centric phenomenon.
*Combustication* was part of a new wave of American artists perfecting this sound. MMW's version was less polished than their UK counterparts, offering a rawer, more experimental, and distinctly American take on the genre.
3. **Turntablism in Jazz:** While Herbie Hancock had famously used a turntable on his 1983 hit "Rockit," the use of a DJ in a "serious" jazz context was still a novelty. MMW's integration of DJ Logic wasn't a gimmick; it was a core textural element. This was a forward-thinking move that acknowledged the influence of hip-hop on modern music and treated the turntable as a legitimate instrument, further pushing the boundaries of what a jazz trio could be.
In summary, **Combustication** was the album that brought Medeski, Martin & Wood to a wider audience. It solidified their signature sound, earned them critical acclaim in the jazz world via the Blue Note signing, and perfectly captured the genre-melding spirit of the late 1990s music scene.