User Submitted Album

Shack-man

Medeski, Martin & Wood

1996

3.01

Rating

122

Votes

Distribution

Jazz

Album Summary

Shack-man is the fourth album by experimental jazz fusion trio Medeski Martin & Wood, released in 1996. It was widely considered their commercial breakthrough, peaking at #7 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. The album was recorded in an isolated shack in Hawaii, with power supplied by solar energy and generators. AllMusic called the album "the best example to date of the trio's cerebral fusion of soul-jazz, hip-hop, and post-punk worldbeat." New York wrote that "the changes are episodic, as in funk, rather than conversational, as in jazz." Relix called it a "dark, funky dorm room breakthrough." The Cleveland Scene wrote that the group "made it cool to groove again with 1996s Shack-man, a Hammond-hammered Phish-lot mainstay that opened the door for instrumental improv groups like Soulive and Particle."

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Reviews

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Jul 26 2025 Author

I guess this is an OK album. Jazz fusion is often an annoying collection of too long solos in too long songs without structure. This album is not. Too bad the songs are just not that outstanding in quality and performance. When choosing essential jazz fusion lots of other albums should come to mind.

Jul 23 2025 Author

The more I listen to it the better it gets. Really enjoyed this one. Thanks to the submitter!

Jul 23 2025 Author

Quirky as all get out - I think I love this!

Jul 23 2025 Author

Very cool! 4 stars.

Jul 26 2025 Author

‘Avant Groove’ is the very cool way their sound is described in their wiki page. Love it

Nov 26 2025 Author

obligatory 10/10 for jazz, and I love their unique spin on it, super fun!

Aug 25 2025 Author

I was pleasantly surprised by this. I was expecting to find it eh... but it worked for me. My personal rating: 4/5 My rating relative to the list: 4/5 Should this have been included on the original list? Slight no.

Sep 10 2025 Author

I enjoyed this a lot

Sep 22 2025 Author

I didn't know I needed this

Sep 24 2025 Author

Not normally a fan of jazz. But this style I do like and this was very good.

Oct 16 2025 Author

Weird, eclectic, and groovy. I really liked this one!

Nov 17 2025 Author

November 28, 2025 HL: "Think", "Bubblehouse", "Henduck", "Jelly Belly" The phrase "experimental jazz fusion" from Wikipedia had my mind racing, not all of them good thoughts. However, I didn't quite expect an organ workout à la some new-age Jimmy Smith. Whereas Back at the Chicken Shack is more comforting, Shack-Man throws in just enough dissonance to keep one on edge. And just when it seems like it could get tedious, it bows out gracefully with "Kenny". An unexpected 4 stars

Jul 23 2025 Author

I said in reference to a recent Coltrane offering that I'm no Jazz sophisticate, and I'm even less so when it comes to modern stuff. I liked this OK though some of it seemed kind of gimmicky. Never really blew me away.

Jul 23 2025 Author

An interesting alternative jazz album. I wouldn’t call it completely avant garde but it has its uniqueness while also still sound like decent structured jazz. I’m sure with a genre as old and historical as jazz there needs to be some experimentation to separate and feel modern without straying too far into the abnormal. I’d say that this album did that and it was a decent listen. 6.3/10

Jul 23 2025 Author

Generic tbh

Jul 23 2025 Author

This has a great retro-funky vibe, but much of this is too organ-forward for my taste. Fave Songs: Bubblehouse, Think, Is There Anybody Here That Love My Jesus, Night Marchers

Jul 25 2025 Author

Jazz-funk, soul jazz, acid jazz. Ni fu ni fa.

Jul 25 2025 Author

Does a surprisingly good job of being the jazz/jam band kind of experimentation, but not varying it too much too frequently, so that the tracks do end up finding a groove that makes it more interesting to listen to. Not something I'd likely come back to, but a good experience.

Jul 26 2025 Author

Retro bass lines and an occasional organ. I likely won't relisten to it, but it was a chill background album.

Jul 26 2025 Author

Pretty nice

Jul 26 2025 Author

Pretty decent instrumental jazz.

Jul 26 2025 Author

Groovy funky experimental jazz. Never gets tooooo weird or a-tonal, but also never really finds the groove I want it to. More interesting than enjoyable!

Jul 29 2025 Author

Not sure of the appeal here. But it played in the background without pissing me off too much. 3/5

Jul 30 2025 Author

Interesting jazz fusion album, gives off good fund vibes, enjoyable listen, but not sure I’ll return to it.

Aug 03 2025 Author

A very long string of pretty alright jazz organ jamming

Aug 05 2025 Author

Good for my mood today, but I guess I'll not stay with it for too many time.

Aug 21 2025 Author

Wasn’t sure where I recognised this group from, but then I remembered that they participated in John Zorn’s ”Masada Book Two: Book Of Angels” series. Makes sense considering this music: Smooth, groovy improvisations with a tendency to break out in unusual directions. A nice morning listen

Sep 10 2025 Author

A bit too jazzy for me maybe! Nice enough background music though

Sep 10 2025 Author

Not sure how to compare this in the annals of Jazz fusion but it's really pleasant. I liked it.

Sep 17 2025 Author

I always assumed this group was like a bluegrass jam band. I don't know why, maybe just a generalization based on the type of people that I thought were in to them. This is definitely some crunchy fusion jazz though. Not my cup of tea by any means, but they are obviously talented and great at what they do.

Sep 20 2025 Author

Nice and ejoyable, but pretty forgettable album. Not my kind of jam.

Oct 02 2025 Author

I think it says a lot about Medeski Martin & Wood that I have heard of them. Because I'm generally not into jazz or experimental music. But something about their fusion of jazz, hip-hop, soul, and funk must have gotten them on my radar somehow. Maybe their presence on the jam band circuit? Though again, not usually into jam bands. Regardless, this is my first time intentionally and consciously listening to MMW. And it is actually and clearly all of the things it is described and purported to be. I can hear all of those diverse influences and styles. Which makes it a bit of a mess. But with pretty consistent grooves and rhythms that help me forgive some of the excesses. Honestly, I think I'm more bothered by the lack of commas in their name than their experimental meanderings.

Jul 24 2025 Author

It's a jam album, nothing more and nothing less. Not sure why this is notable in any way, maybe I'm missing some historical context but it's meh all around.

Jul 28 2025 Author

Sure is different Somehow this is both the most, and least offensive album I've ever heard 2

Jul 28 2025 Author

Rating: 5/10 Best songs: Bubblehouse

Aug 04 2025 Author

Atonal tooting

Aug 07 2025 Author

Two days have passed and I can’t even remember this album.

Aug 05 2025 Author

Mmmm

Aug 09 2025 Author

Shack-man is porn music. Nothing here worth my time, didn't hate it but it's not really offering me anything to get above a 1/5.