Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Email
Answers.com

John Medeski

 
Artist: John Medeski
Home > Library > Entertainment & Arts > Pop Artists
John Medeski

Similar Artists:

Jamie Saft, Wayne Horvitz, Anthony Coleman

Followers:

Raphael Wressnig

Worked With:

Chris Wood, Curtis Hasselbring, Billy Martin, Doug Yates

Formal Connection With:

John Zorn, The Baby Loves Jazz Band, The Wood Brothers
  • Active: '80s, '90s
  • Genres: Jazz
  • Instrument: Organ (Hammond), Organ

Biography

Organist John Medeski has become a recognized and respected player in NYC's downtown jazz scene and, more popularly, with his group Medeski, Martin & Wood. Born in 1965 in Kentucky, Medeski was raised in Ft. Lauderdale, FL where he began playing piano along with his father while still a toddle; classical piano lessons began at the age of five. In addition to his affinity for Bach, Beethoven and Debussy, Medeski learned, and entertained family with, old favorites of the '40s and '50s. By the mid-70s, he was playing professionally with dance and theater companies, as well as performing at recitals and competitions. By the time he was 13, he had discovered jazz piano greats Bud Powell, Cecil Taylor and Oscar Peterson. Medeski then began studying harmony and theory with Lee Shaw, and also around this time started Western musical theory and counterpoint studies at school. Medeski decided against pursuing a classical career after competing at a gala reception when he was 14. After this, he focused more on improvisational and folk music, specifically African and African American folk music. Through the early '80s, Medeski played in a wide variety of ensembles, including chamber and wedding, was musical director for theater productions, wrote two musicals, and played bassoon. He started exploring the local jazz scene after buying a Fender Rhodes, and started the band Emergency. Often playing gigs with area musicians including Mark Murphy, he was invited by Jaco Pastorious to perform on Pastorius' 1981 Japanese tour, but Medeski's mother wouldn't let him! In 1982, John Medeski won an NEA Award, and a year later moved to Boston to study classical music with Leonard Shure at the New England Conservatory. For his second year, though, he changed musical directions and entered Ran Blake's Third Stream program. At NEC, he also studied with George Russell, Dave Holland, Joe Maneri. It was here, too, that he met Bob Moses with whom Medeski began playing. The two would back many visiting artists including Dewey Redman. He was introduced to the Hammond B-3 organ by Mr. Jellybelly, who he began gigging almost nightly with. Medeski has played in Either Orchestra, Ken Schaphorst Big Band, and the Jazz Composers Alliance, who worked with Anthony Davis and Sam Rivers. He played duo gigs regularly at the Village Gate from 1988 to 1990, and then moved to New York, where he started playing with Chris Wood, Reggie Workman, and Billy Martin. Medeski also became active in the downtown jazz scene, and has performed with the Lounge Lizards, John Zorn and many more. Medeski, Martin and Wood have become increasingly popular as the '90s progressed, bringing jazz to a younger, often rock-oriented audience. ~ Joslyn Layne, All Music Guide
Search unanswered questions...

Enter a question here...
Search: All sources Community Q&A Reference topics

Wikipedia: John Medeski
Top
Home > Library > Miscellaneous > Wikipedia
John Medeski

John Medeski performing with Medeski Martin Scofield & Wood in 2007
Background information
Birth name Anthony John Medeski
Born 28 June 1965(1965-06-28)
Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Genre(s) Jazz
Occupation(s) Musician, composer
Instrument(s) Keyboards, piano
Associated acts Medeski Martin & Wood, The Word
Website www.mmw.net

Anthony John Medeski (born 28 June 1965) is an American jazz keyboards player and composer. Medeski is a veteran of New York's 1990s avante-garde jazz scene and is known popularly as a member of Medeski Martin & Wood.[1] He plays the acoustic piano and an eclectic array of keyboards, including the Hammond B3 organ, melodica, mellotron, clavinet, ARP String Ensemble, Wurlitzer electric piano, Moog Voyager Synthesizer, Wurlitzer 7300 Combo Organ, and Yamaha CS-1 Synthesizer (a "kids' toy"), among others. When playing acoustic piano, Medeski plays the Steinway piano exclusively and is listed as a Steinway Artist[citation needed] .

Biography

Medeski was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and grew up in Florida. After studying piano as a child (starting when he was five years old), he began as a teenager to perform with musicians such as Mark Murphy and Jaco Pastorius. He attended Pine Crest School. In 1983, after graduating high school, he began studying piano at the New England Conservatory in Boston, where he performed as a sideman with Dewey Redman, Billy Higgins, Bob Mintzer, Alan Dawson, and Mr. Jellybelly. Medeski attributes his early interest in playing improvised music and jazz to listening to Oscar Peterson.[2]

Medeski performs in a range of musical styles, from accessible groove based funk and jazz (such as the MMW albums and A Go Go with John Scofield) to more experimental music (such as John Zorn's Masada and collaborations with David Fiuczynski).

Medeski is best known for his work with Medeski Martin & Wood including drummer and percussionist Billy Martin and bassist Chris Wood. The trio formed in New York in 1991 playing gigs at The Village Gate.[3] Since the mid-1990s they have toured steadily in both national and international funk, jazz, and jam music scenes. The band has collaborated with such musicians as Iggy Pop, Trey Anastasio and John Scofield.

Medeski produced and was featured on the Dirty Dozen Brass Band's 1999 release Buckjump.[4] Also in 1999 he played the organ on two tracks of the Morphine album The Night.

In 2000, Medeski became a member of The Word, a bluesy gospel style project with members Robert Randolph (pedal steel) from Robert Randolph and the Family Band, brothers Luther Dickinson (guitar) and Cody Dickinson (drums), and Chris Chew (bass) of North Mississippi Allstars. The band released a self-titled album in 2001 and toured in 2001 and 2002. The band reunited in 2005 for a performance at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, and they embarked on tour again in late 2007.

Medeski was keyboardist for the Trey Anastasio Band 2001–2002 tour. He has also occasionally performed with Phil Lesh and Friends.

Medeski was a guest on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz radio program on September 27, 2005. During the show he talked at length about his formal training on the piano, his approach to playing music, and some of the musicians that he admires the most. He performed several songs by Thelonious Monk and other composers, as well as the Medeski, Martin & Wood classic "Bubblehouse". The show was released on compact disc on April 4, 2006.

Medeski was also an inaugural member of the Independent Music Awards' judging panel to support independent artists. [5]

On July 14, 2006, John Medeski & The Itch performed their debut gig at the All Good Music Festival in Masontown, WV. The Itch consists of Eric Krasno (guitar) of Soulive and Adam Deitch (drums) with Medeski playing a B3 Organ. Also in 2006 Medeski performed with The Million Dollar Bashers for the recording of the soundtrack to the Bob Dylan biopic, I'm Not There.

Medeski is featured on guitarist Will Bernard's Blue Plate Special CD released September 2008.

References

  1. ^ John Medeski Biography Joslyn Layne, AllMusic, retrieved November 23, 2008
  2. ^ Dr. Oscar Peterson, 1925-2007 Ernie Rideout, Keyboard Magazine, March 2008, retrieved November 23, 2008
  3. ^ A Fireside Chat with John Medeski Fred Jung, All About Jazz, February 21, 2004, retrieved November 23, 2008
  4. ^ Music for Its Own Sake: An Interview with John Medeski Krista Cameli, jambands.com, May 1999, retrieved November 23, 2008
  5. ^ Independent Music Awards - Past Judges

External links

v • d • e
Medeski Martin & Wood
John Medeski · Billy Martin · Chris Wood
Discography
Albums with John Scofield
A Go Go (John Scofield album with MMW) (1998)  · Out Louder (as Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood) (2006)
Related articles

This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)

 
 
Learn More
Treaty (1985 Album by Christopher Hollyday)
The Wood Brothers (Folk Band, 2000s)
Last Chance to Dance Trance (perhaps): Best Of (1991-1996) (1999 Album by Medeski, Martin & Wood)

What is the origin of 'john' as in 'a prostitute's john'? Read answer...
Who is John Quincy? Read answer...
Who is john houlding? Read answer...

Help us answer these
Who is John of Johns Bavarian tours?
Is john john vieira hot?
Does John John Florence have an email?

Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:

 

Copyrights:

Artist. Copyright © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ®, a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "John Medeski".  Read more

Related answers
» More
 
Answer these
» More

Mentioned in

» More» More