Modesty, maturity and good

>> >> Medeski, Martin & Wood bassist Chris Wood talks about scheduling their lives around the music

by SCOTT C

Even though they've been hammering away at the tour grind for the last 10 years, it dawned on me the other day that the raw grooves of organ trio Medeski, Martin & Wood have yet to make them a household name. You'd think that with all the acclaim that these guys have amassed, and eight albums under their belt, they'd pretty much be working the "rock star" status into a new art form. Problem is, while the funky, unpredictable edge and ego-trippy solos that make their live show a running spectacle are alive and well, these same aspects seem to be missing from their lives offstage. I spoke to bassist Chris Wood about life in MMW.

Mirror: So you don't consider yourself a rock star? I kind of liken you guys to Rush, or the Police. A power trio that can't be stopped.

Chris Wood: The main difference between the Police and us is that their rise was a lot quicker. Although sometimes I think it's weird, our rise has been quite steady and natural, actually. It started out grassroots style and never got overwhelming.

M: Is there a particular power trio that you guys looked at and said, "We've gotta come like that"? All the bands I was in started out like that.

CW: There's a song called "Money Jungle" that has Duke Ellington, Max Roach and Charles Mingus, and in that song there's a certain spirit that we often agreed to try and capture when we played.

M: Power trio indeed. What's the biggest change that you can see with the band since its conception and now?

CW: Well, we went from just being these guys who played music together to these guys who played music together quite well. From there we became family, moving in and living together, and now we all have separate lives and apartments. Back then we did everything from load in and out to merchandising, and now we basically just take care of the music. Now it's like running a business.

M: Does being called a "jam band" make you queasy the way it does me?

CW: (Laughs) I used to get really bummed when I would read something about us and they used the "jam band" term, but now I don't even care. It's just a term that makes it easier for different people to classify the music we play in their heads. Even if it's not exactly the music we play.

M: The story goes that you cancelled your last Jazz Festival show in Montreal on some rock star prima donna shit. Is that true?

CW: We had a lot going on at that time, and it was just easier to take gigs that were able to fit into the larger scheme of things. The promoter got very offended and was like, "Do you know what festival you're turning down?" We were just trying to schedule our lives, man. I've only been to Montreal once and I had a good time, and I hope I can do that again. :

With guests Mino Cinelu, George Garzone, Marc Ribot and DJ Logic at Metropolis on Wednesday, July 5, 9pm, $32.50