Medeski Martin and Wood

The kings of keyboard-driven improvisational jazz and funk have a new direction — and you may want to sit down for this one — children’s music. On Let’s Go Everywhere, the group doesn’t completely abandon the dark dissonance of albums like The Dropper and Combustication, but instead harnesses their collective groove and experimental creativity to carve out some of the hippest, most sophisticated, and accessible kids tracks you’ll ever hear. Nothing is dumbed down here — “Cat Creeps” is a stealthy and playful feline blues that beautifully mixes piano and organ, and vocal tracks such as “Pirates Don’t Take Baths” and “On An Airplane” are equally addictive. MMW’s instrumental palate is as diverse as ever; the engaging spoken-word story track “The Squalb,” for example, meshes delicate piano with percussive Asian melodic tones. You can tell the trio had tremendous fun making this album, and I had just as much fun listening to it.
- Michael Gallant