Sunday, October 30, 2011

Drawing Music :: Medeski Martin & Wood at Terminal 5 with Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra

Happy 20th Birthday, MMW!
 “Music is about creating a vibration, an energy. It’s healing and transformative.” 
~John Medeski

My long-time favorite Brooklyn jazz trio Medeski Martin & Wood, whom I grew up listening since seeing them live for the first time as an opening act for Morphine in PA in the late 1990's, is together for 20 years already. They just celebrated it at Terminal 5 yesterday, sharing the stage with Antibalas. Whoa. That was more like a musical explosion than a concert. Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra ignited, then MMW took stage and played fan-selected songs that are so dear to heart. And then MMW and Antibalas played together. I didn't count exactly how many people were on stage, but it was around 15. The musical jam was outrageous.  I drew as much as I could, which was not easy in a tightly packed club, being pushed and bumped from all sides by intoxicated (both by music and substances) fans in their Halloween costumes. It was something…Happy 20th Birthday, MMW! Thank you for your music! 
p.s. It was MMW's customary Halloween performance and musicians wore all kinds of funny costumes.

MMW's drummer Billy Martin

MMW's John Medeski, wearing a sumo wrestler costume and wig.

MMW's Chris Wood, wearing a wig.

Antibalas singer and percussionist Amayo with the wind section.


Antibalas's Amayo and Yoshihiro “Yoshi” Takemasa



Jam!
Antibalas's Amayo and Jordan McLean
MMW and Antibalas together on stage

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