When jam band moe. announced the lineup for their annual Tropical Throe.down festival, the inclusion of Medeski Martin & Wood certainly caught everyone’s eye. 2016 marks the band’s 25th anniversary, and they got things off on the right foot. With three sets over three consecutive nights at the beautiful Jewel Paradise Cove Resort in Runaway Bay, Jamaica, MMW let loose with their patented brand of free jazz improvisation.
Fortunately, as Little Feat was also performing at the festival, that band’s archivist Chris Cafiero was on hand filming all of the sets, alongside another taper Steve Wilner. The multi-camera angles really present a dynamic performance, showing MMW throwing it down along the waves!
Thanks to FunkIt Blog, watch all three videos and see the setlists below:
Setlist: Medeski Martin & Wood at Jewel Paradise Cove Resort, Runaway Bay, Jamaica – 1/11/16
Sorrow [David Bowie / The McCoys cover] > Lonely Avenue [Ray Charles cover] > Think > Improv > Is There Anybody Here That Love My Jesus, Gonzo [James Booker cover]
Setlist: Medeski Martin & Wood at Jewel Paradise Cove Resort, Runaway Bay, Jamaica – 1/12/16
Improv > Coconut Boogaloo > Henduck > Improv > Shackman
Setlist: Medeski Martin & Wood at Jewel Paradise Cove Resort, Runaway Bay, Jamaica – 1/13/16
Chinoiserie [Duke Ellington cover], Just Like I Pictured It, Night Marchers > Improv > Wiggly’s Way, Brigas Nunca Mais [Antonio Carlos Jobim / Elis Regina cover], Heaven On Earth [Larry Young cover]