The Word

A blues/jam rock and roll supergroup comprising brothers Cody and Luther Dickinson, and Chris Chew up (collectively, they formed North Mississippi Allstars), John Medeski (one-third of jazz-funksters Medeski, Martin & Timber), and gospel/pedal metal sensation Robert Randolph (from the famed Sacred Metal series on Arhoolie and his Family members Music group). Long a wish project from the Dickinsons and Medeski, the gospel record finally had become with the addition of Randolph, a new player whom both had long respected and tried to search out, though he, 22 years of age and a rules clerk by time, had recorded only 1 commercially obtainable tune (“Without God,” included on Sacred Metal Live). By enough time Dickinson and Medeski monitored him down through Steve Earle sideman/manufacturer Eric Roscoe Amble, Randolph acquired played only 1 nonchurch gig, at New York’s famed Bowery Ballroom. Three times of jamming and saving in Oct 2000 at MMW’s Brooklyn studio room yielded THE TERM, released in July of the next season. The group toured briefly that summertime to get the record. Given how active each one of the collective’s several members eventually became, they didn’t record a follow-up for 14 years. Spirit Food, featured all of the first members plus visitor vocalists Ruthie Foster and Amy Helm, premiered by Vanguard in-may of 2015.