Martin’s version of the story is the same…but different.

“John suggested seasonal tours: writing sessions, rehearsing, [then] tour, record. From that we had a seed of an idea. I found a book with Ernst Haeckel’s images of ocean life when we were in Tel Aviv and suggested these images could be used in the series of seasonal recordings. Then that developed into what our music tries to do as an image and conceptually: evolve, and [include] lots of variety.”

Wood narrowed it down to practicality.

“We needed to create a structure for us to write a lot of new material. It felt like it was time to reinvent ourselves, so this idea developed to do a series of three tours where we would write a couple sets’ worth of new music before going out on the road. Then we would go on tour and develop the music in front of live audiences for a couple of weeks. After the tour we went into the studio and recorded it.”

All three LPs in the Radiolarians series are bursting with fresh musical ideas, phrases and stimuli, from the exploration of disparate genres to the very instruments MMW chose for each track. What I find most amazing about the three albums, which are now collected in The Evoluntionary Set, is that no track consists only of two musicians simply vamping for a remaining soloist. Each instrument seems bound to the others, in conversation and support, and each album’s journey through musical styles and themes feels as natural as the changing of seasons.

“Broken Mirror” and “Gwyra Mi,” two darkly themed compositions that traverse slow-burning Friends of Dean Martinez-style Western swing and fuzzed-out drum-centric reggae, respectively, finish Radiolarians 3 in an ominous manner. Although MMW – currently touring as usual – plans to take some time off in 2011, Wood says the sinister-sounding conclusion to the Radiolarians set doesn’t signal anything other than bright possibilities ahead.

“There are a lot of ideas floating around,” he says. “Some are collaborations with other people; some have to do with music education. Still trying to figure that out. Often decisions about what to do next come from knowing what we don’t want to do. ”

According to the jovial Medeski, MMW has only one person to turn to when it comes to planning its next move.

“We consult a man who lives alone, deep in the woods, in a place we can’t name,” he says. “Like an oracle. He’s around 100 years old at this point, but looks in his fifties, except for his teeth.”

In all seriousness, the fact that an instrumental band such as Medeski, Martin and Wood have derived inspiration for their music so often from the written word may seem stranger to some than a 100-year-old oracle serving as the band’s manager. MMW’s first album, 1992’s Notes from the Underground, was named after the classic Dostoyevsky novel, and the literary references have kept coming ever since.

“Words—written or spoken, serious or humorous—have had an impact,” says Medeski. “ Friday Afternoon in the Universe comes from the first line of a Kerouac poem; Combustication was coined by science professor Dr. Julius Sumner Miller, Uninvisible by Shackman Carl Green. But I don’t know if I can say how these words influence the music. It’s really on an instinctual level. Every art form we’ve experienced, or anything that ever happens in our lives, influences our music.”

Again, Wood agrees, if matter-of-factly
“I think we’re influenced by pretty much anything and everything, but words don’t necessarily inspire specific musical gestures,” he says. “At least not directly.”

Over the past 19 years, MMW has made a direct mark on the landscape of American music by advocating freedom and experimentation but also hard work and expertise, two things that are often missing in conjunction with improvisation. Without a hit record or the Phish-like ability to pack sports arenas, all three musicians live comfortably—and are revered by their peers—but literally sweat to earn their pay just as they did in the beginning. Not that they’re complaining.
“It’s a perfect world for me in the sense that I can have a life outside of the musical career,” Martin says of not being an A-list celebrity.

“I thinks it’s great not being recognized the way huge stars are,” says Medeski. “That looks like a drag. I’m not sure how respected we are, but we do what we do and try not to worry about all that. Some people listen, some don’t. Sure would be nice to get a huge star’s paycheck, though—maybe we should sing…”

“I think we’re lucky to be able to make a living by playing music,” Wood concludes. “Being a household name, it seems to me, would create a lot of pressure and expectation that could be distracting to what you want to do. It’s nice to be somewhere in the middle.”

As for celebrating their 20th anniversary of playing music together next year, Medeski joked about retirement; in truth, MMW has more treats planned for its fans.

“20 singles next year to celebrate our 20 years together,” an excited-sounding Martin says. “Maybe record some new improvisations, go into the archives and mix a live record with John Scofield and then probably take a break. Anything can influence our next idea.”

Summing up two decades of touring and recording as MMW, Wood was able to rationalize the group’s ongoing forward momentum—something that’s tough to maintain for so long in any industry—with one sentence:

“We still surprise each other.”

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