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Shack-man
Studio album by Medeski Martin & Wood
Released	October 15, 1996
Recorded	June 1996 (The Shack, Hawaii)
Genre	Jazz-funk, soul jazz, acid jazz
Label	Rykodisc Gramavision
Producer	Medeski Martin & Wood, David Baker
Medeski Martin & Wood chronology
Friday Afternoon in the Universe (1995) Shack-man (1996) Farmer's Reserve (1997)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide

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.

Production

The album was recorded in an isolated shack in Hawaii, with power supplied by solar energy and generators.

Critical reception

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 1996's Shack Man, a Hammond-hammered Phish-lot mainstay that opened the door for instrumental improv groups like Soulive and Particle."

Track listing

All music by Medeski Martin & Wood except where noted.

1. "Is There Anybody Here That Love My Jesus" (traditional, arr. by MMW) – 4:27
2. "Think" – 5:16
3. "Dracula" – 4:16
4. "Bubblehouse" – 4:27
5. "Henduck" – 4:38
6. "Strance of the Spirit Red Gator" – 7:06
7. "Spy Kiss" – 4:22
8. "Lifeblood" – 7:06
9. "Jelly Belly" – 4:42
10. "Night Marchers" – 4:26
11. "Kenny" – 4:43

Performers

• John Medeski – Hammond B3 organ, clavinet, Wurlitzer electric piano, Pianet T, toy piano, Yamaha CSO1 II
• Billy Martin – drums, percussion
• Chris Wood – acoustic bass, electric basses, guitar

Credits

• Recording engineer: David Baker
• Assisted by Carl Green and Mark Kindermann
• Mixed at IIWII, Weehawken, NJ with David Baker and Katsu Naito
• Edited at Current Sounds, NYC with Bob Ward
• Mastered by Dr. Toby Mountain, Northeastern Digital Recording
• Executive producer: Hans Wendl
• LP management: Liz Penta
• Band photo by Michael Macioce
• Artwork by Billy Martin, 1996

References

1. ^ "Medeski, Martin & Wood | Biography & History". AllMusic.
2. ^ MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1999. p. 741.
3. ^ "Shack-Man - Medeski, Martin & Wood | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
4. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 684.
5. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. 2004. p. 533.
6. "Catching New Grooves After a Great Escape". Los Angeles Times. November 22, 1996.
7. Budnick, Dean (November 19, 2003). Jambands: The Complete Guide to the Players, Music, & Scene. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879307455 – via Google Books.
8. "Medeski Martin & Wood". Billboard.
9. GETTELMAN, PARRY. "MEDESKI, MARTIN & WOOD". OrlandoSentinel.com.
10. "Groove Theory". New York. New York Media, LLC. November 4, 1996 – via Google Books.
11. "Medeski Martin & Wood: The Triple Entente". Relix Media. May 17, 2017.
12. Miller, Jeff. "Medeski, Martin & Wood". Cleveland Scene.

• 1996 albums
• Medeski Martin & Wood albums
• Gramavision Records albums