Shack-Man

Product Description These guys have emerged as America's ultimate groove band. Their latest album, recorded between tours at their Hawaiian jungle retreat (The Shack), displays a great deal of talent and enough hooks to fill a tackle shop. Influences include gospel, blues, funk, jazz, soul and hip hop. Amazon.com Released in 1996, Shack-man may be the quintessential MMW disc. From the opening cover of the traditional spiritual "Is There Anyone Here that Love My Jesus" to the mellow swirls of the closing "Kenny," the emphasis is on the almighty groove; though John Medeski (here pumping everything from Hammond B-3s to toy pianos) and bassist Chris Wood are much flashier players, it's drummer Billy Martin who really gets (and keeps) the party going. The laid-back, sunshine-and-palm-trees vibe of Hawaii (where Shack-man was recorded) creeps into some of the tracks, but the overall feel is more New Orleans than Waikiki. --Dan Epstein P.when('A').execute(function(A) { A.on('a:expander:toggle_description:toggle:collapse', function(data) { window.scroll(0, data.expander.$expander[0].offsetTop-100); }); }); From the Label The material for their latest release, SHACK-MAN, was mostly composed and developed on the road during the last year in which they played over 200 shows. The band's third Gramavision release and fourth album overall was recorded in their tropical sanctuary, a shack in the remote jungles of Hawaii. “There's a certain vibe we get into musically in Hawaii that we don't get into on the road," says Medeski. "It was always our dream to make a record there. The sound of the Shack is amazing.” With ten new compositions and a remarkable revamping of the traditional “Is There Anybody Here That Love My Jesus,” MMW emerge as America's favorite groove band. Although critics have compared their unique musical hybrid to the soulful organ jazz of Jimmy Smith, the cosmic voyages of Sun Ra and Miles Davis in the 70's, these versatile keyboard, bass, and drum virtuosos hew just as closely to the dance floor pop and street savvy funk of Booker T & the MG's, Sly and the Family Stone, and James Brown. The instant accessibility and musical depth of such Shack-man tunes as “Dracula,” “Bubblehouse,” and “Strance of the Spirit Red Gator” invite music fans of every stripe into the Shack, spacious home to the universal groove. See more