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."
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.
The more I listen to it the better it gets. Really enjoyed this one. Thanks to the submitter!
Quirky as all get out - I think I love this!
Very cool! 4 stars.
‘Avant Groove’ is the very cool way their sound is described in their wiki page. Love it
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.
I enjoyed this a lot
I didn't know I needed this
Not normally a fan of jazz. But this style I do like and this was very good.
Weird, eclectic, and groovy. I really liked this one!
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.
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
Generic tbh
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
Jazz-funk, soul jazz, acid jazz. Ni fu ni fa.
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.
Retro bass lines and an occasional organ. I likely won't relisten to it, but it was a chill background album.
Pretty nice
Pretty decent instrumental jazz.
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!
Not sure of the appeal here. But it played in the background without pissing me off too much. 3/5
Interesting jazz fusion album, gives off good fund vibes, enjoyable listen, but not sure I’ll return to it.
A very long string of pretty alright jazz organ jamming
Good for my mood today, but I guess I'll not stay with it for too many time.
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
A bit too jazzy for me maybe! Nice enough background music though
Not sure how to compare this in the annals of Jazz fusion but it's really pleasant. I liked it.
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.
Nice and ejoyable, but pretty forgettable album. Not my kind of jam.
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.
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.
Sure is different Somehow this is both the most, and least offensive album I've ever heard 2
Rating: 5/10 Best songs: Bubblehouse
Atonal tooting
Two days have passed and I can’t even remember this album.
Mmmm
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.