Juice

The core of the quartet is the MMW (Medeski Martin & Wood) combo, a trio which has been playing together for decades, since their student days in the Eighties. The release of John Scofield's “A Go Go” (1998), a perfectionist groove work of art and reference recording, marked a turning point in all their careers.

The sound of their “Out Louder” album is in no way inferior, with one composition each from the Beatles and Peter Tosh (“Julia” and “Legalize it” respectively), two more by the Californian bassist Chris Good and one by Scofield. The remaining tracks are co-signed by all four members of the group, which stands out for the democratic equality it brings to everything it does, from mixing levels to the time allotted to each solo improvisation. The end result has a post-modern, abstract feel, a relaxed, expressive vibe and more than a few stylistic comings-together.

You can make out the echoes of MMW's collaborations with John Zorn, Marc Ribot, John Lurie and Maceo Parker and Scofield’s with jazz greats including Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker.

This is effortlessly elaborate music with a subtle melodic line; compositions “from the heart for the mind” performed in a giving and well-lit environment.