The Word (band)
Encyclopedia
The Word is an instrumental jazz rock/Sacred steel
/gospel blues
/Southern rock
jam band
. The supergroup
included well-known musicians: Robert Randolph (pedal steel guitar
), John Medeski
(keyboards
), and all three members of North Mississippi Allstars
- Luther Dickinson
(electric guitar
), Cody Dickinson (drums
, washboard
), and Chris Chew (bass guitar
).
The Word developed from a mutual affection for gospel music and the Sacred Steel tradition shared by Medeski and members of the North Mississippi Allstars, both having discovered the phenomenon through a series of albums published by Arhoolie Records
in the 1990s and early 2000s. Chris Chew and Luther Dickinson were particularly fond of a song called "Without God" on the Sacred Steel Live! album, the only track credited to a then-unknown Robert Randolph. They contacted Randolph and recruited him to form their own Sacred Steel band, likely the first initiated by musicians outside the House of God church organization.
Musically, The Word is similar to other Sacred Steel bands, with the major difference being a total lack of vocals, both gospel singing and sing-song preaching that often accompanies such music in the original church setting. The organ and electric piano content, provided by Medeski, is more experimental and pronounced than in traditional Sacred Steel music, which originally developed from House of God churches filling the role of a pipe organ with the much less expensive steel guitar. Another unusual aspect of the music is that drummer Cody Dickinson plays electric washboard on certain songs, as he sometimes does with the North Mississippi Allstars. During live concerts, there is typically only one vocal microphone, used by Randolph to address the audience with encouragement and occasional exclamations of spiritual praise between songs. However, there is at least one example of bassist Chris Chew singing the lyrics to a traditional gospel song played by The Word, on January 1, 2010 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Their debut self-titled album
, produced by Medeski and released on Ropeadope Records
July 31, 2001, includes an updated version of "Without God", the song that brought The Word together in the first place. The album contains a mixture of traditional gospel songs (played with instrumental arrangements) and original instrumentals written by the group. The group toured in 2002 and then reunited to tour again in late 2007/early 2008. The group also played at the Bonnaroo festival in 2005 and on the Jam Cruise
in 2010.
Sacred Steel (musical tradition)
Sacred steel is a musical style and African-American gospel tradition that developed in House of God churches in the 1930s. Members and nonmembers refer to the church as the House of God. Its full name is the House of God Which Is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and Ground of the Truth...
/gospel blues
Gospel blues
Gospel blues is a form of blues-based gospel music that has been around since the inception of blues music, a combination of blues guitar and evangelistic lyrics...
/Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
jam band
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
. The supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
included well-known musicians: Robert Randolph (pedal steel guitar
Pedal steel guitar
The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
), John Medeski
John Medeski
Anthony John Medeski is an American jazz keyboards player and composer. Medeski is a veteran of New York's 1990s avant-garde jazz scene and is known popularly as a member of Medeski Martin & Wood...
(keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
), and all three members of North Mississippi Allstars
North Mississippi Allstars
North Mississippi Allstars is a Southern rock/blues jam band from Hernando, Mississippi, founded in 1996. The band is composed of brothers Luther Dickinson and Cody Dickinson , and Chris Chew...
- Luther Dickinson
Luther Dickinson
Luther Dickinson is the lead guitarist and vocalist for the North Mississippi Allstars as well as lead guitarist for The Black Crowes...
(electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
), Cody Dickinson (drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, washboard
Washboard
A washboard is a tool designed for hand washing clothing. With mechanized cleaning of clothing becoming more common by the end of the 20th century, the washboard has become better known for its originally subsidiary use as a musical instrument....
), and Chris Chew (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
).
The Word developed from a mutual affection for gospel music and the Sacred Steel tradition shared by Medeski and members of the North Mississippi Allstars, both having discovered the phenomenon through a series of albums published by Arhoolie Records
Arhoolie Records
Arhoolie Records is a small record label run by Chris Strachwitz. The label was founded by Strachwitz in 1960 as a way for him to record and publish previously obscure "down home blues" artists such as Lightnin' Hopkins, Snooks Eaglin and Bill Gaither...
in the 1990s and early 2000s. Chris Chew and Luther Dickinson were particularly fond of a song called "Without God" on the Sacred Steel Live! album, the only track credited to a then-unknown Robert Randolph. They contacted Randolph and recruited him to form their own Sacred Steel band, likely the first initiated by musicians outside the House of God church organization.
Musically, The Word is similar to other Sacred Steel bands, with the major difference being a total lack of vocals, both gospel singing and sing-song preaching that often accompanies such music in the original church setting. The organ and electric piano content, provided by Medeski, is more experimental and pronounced than in traditional Sacred Steel music, which originally developed from House of God churches filling the role of a pipe organ with the much less expensive steel guitar. Another unusual aspect of the music is that drummer Cody Dickinson plays electric washboard on certain songs, as he sometimes does with the North Mississippi Allstars. During live concerts, there is typically only one vocal microphone, used by Randolph to address the audience with encouragement and occasional exclamations of spiritual praise between songs. However, there is at least one example of bassist Chris Chew singing the lyrics to a traditional gospel song played by The Word, on January 1, 2010 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Their debut self-titled album
The Word Album
The debut self-titled album by an instrumental jam band supergroup The Word. The musicians: Robert Randolph , John Medeski , and the three members of North Mississippi Allstars - Luther Dickinson , Cody Dickinson , and Chris Chew .-Track listing: # "Joyful Sounds" – 3:45# "Call Him by His Name" –...
, produced by Medeski and released on Ropeadope Records
Ropeadope Records
Ropeadope Records is an American record label specializing in jazz, hip hop, electronic and downtempo music. The label was founded by Andy Hurwitz in New York City and later moved to Philadelphia, where it is now located....
July 31, 2001, includes an updated version of "Without God", the song that brought The Word together in the first place. The album contains a mixture of traditional gospel songs (played with instrumental arrangements) and original instrumentals written by the group. The group toured in 2002 and then reunited to tour again in late 2007/early 2008. The group also played at the Bonnaroo festival in 2005 and on the Jam Cruise
Jam Cruise
Held annually in January, Jam Cruise is a music festival on a cruise ship. It features artists of the jam band genre playing at multiple venues aboard the vessel...
in 2010.