The Word

Robert Randolph, The Word, North Mississippi Allstars, John Medeski

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 31, 2001)
• Original Release Date: July 31, 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rope a Dope
• ASIN: B00005M98F
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #69,579 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com's Best of 2001
Sweet surrender's always been the subtext of gospel music, but the velvet punch of this superstar jam band will knock out secular audiences as well. The Word features John Medeski of Medeski, Martin and Wood and youngblood trio the North Mississippi Allstars, but its star is Robert Randolph, a 23-year-old from New Jersey who is the new god of pedal-steel guitar. Randolph earned his chops in the Pentecostal church, performing the so-called "Sacred Steel" music well documented by the Arhoolie label (see Sacred Steel, Vol. 2 for a sample). He plays like an amalgamation of Duane Allman, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, John Coltrane, Buddy Emmons, Bo Diddley, and Mahalia Jackson. In short, he's brilliant, so full of rock & roll energy, improvisational fire, and sonic acrobatics that the other great musicians on this disc mostly stay out of his way. Randolph has a seemingly divine gift for on-the-fly harmony as he splits the difference between Sunday tent meetings and Saturday juke crawls on "Keep Your Lamp Trimmed & Burning." In the Allman Brothers-style jams, Randolph plays both Dickey Betts and Duane to Medeski's organ, handling sweet, clean scales and rich, mellow slide slurs. But his vocabulary extends well beyond American-roots music. "Blood on That Rock" ends in a free-improv meltdown, and elsewhere his snaky lines sound like Middle Eastern holy singing. All of which makes The Word worth heeding. --Ted Drozdowski

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NO WORDS REQUIRED, August 13, 2001

By	Patrick Earley (Edmond, Oklahoma USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The WORD is an all instrumental cd of some of the most inspirational gospel music these ears have ever heard. The band was put together by Luther Dickinson of the good young blues band the North Mississippi Allstars, and John Medeski from the cutting edge jazz group Medeski, Martin, and Wood. These two also recruited the services of pedal steel guitar player elite Robert Randolph. When I first listened to this cd, I thought it was Luther Dickinson who was doing the primary guitar leads here. But I recently saw this band play on a late night television show, and as it turned out, all these great guitar sounds were coming from the pedal steel guitar of Randolph. This kid is incredible! What a find this guy was. In reading the liner notes to this album, it sounded like it was divine intervention how Randolph's and Luther Dickinson's paths even crossed. This guy had never even performed "live" outside his pentecostal church before joining up with this band. It's a great story in itself, and after hearing this cd, I can see where they think there might me a little extra something going on here. The first song off the album JOYFUL SOUNDS is a real grabber that, if it don't make ya wanna get up, clap your hands and dance, you might want to check yourself for a pulse. This is the same song I saw them perform on television. Randolph's playing here sounds much like the early Eat A Peach era Allman Brothers guitar sound. And it's that good too. Another standout track on this is WITHOUT GOD, which offers up some incredibly fast steel guitar playing, complimented by some very tasty Luther Dickinson guitar work. This tune is fantastic. It's 6:48 of pure gospel music that you wish would never end. Not to be overlooked in this mix is the keyboard work of John Medeski. This guy is a world class player who offers up enough sizzling organ work that really makes this cd go. Except for a couple tunes the band wrote, all the music here is old standard public domain goodtime gospel music, updated for the 21st century. I hope this band does more of these projects in the future. It's obvious they have some great chemistry playing together. As for this album, I smell a Grammy Award in it's future. Outstanding!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The word about The Word, August 28, 2001

By	Morgen Selmer (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews

Both the name of the album and the name of the band, The Word is some of the most impressive instrumental blues I've ever heard. The brainchild of North Mississippi Allstars guitarist Luther Dickinson and keyboardist (read: unbelievble B3 chops) John Medeski (of Medeski, Martin & Wood fame), coupled with a hand-of-fate collaboration with the heretofore unknown pedal steel wizard Robert Randolph, this album is being billed as a Gospel record, but don't let the appellation fool you. Anyone raised in a church going family is likely to recognize a few of the tunes on the record, but their interpretation is like nothing you've ever heard. Nonetheless, the album is likely to move you. It is raw and it is beautiful; it is jubilant and it is soulful. It is blues that will make you shout for joy and it is instrumental music that will make your heart sing. Robert Randolph is already being hailed as the next-big thing in blues (an expectation he most likely resents) and his unbelievable pedal steel guitar work belies his 22 years. If you want something a little different, something that will reach down into your soul and pull out a feeling, pick up The Word and let yourself be moved.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hear The Word!, August 2, 2001

By	Brooks Williams (Alton, IL United States) - See all my reviews

First, let me say that Robert Randolph is a monster. I've never heard pedal steel guitar played so well. The North Mississippi AllStars and John Medeski (of Medeski, Martin and Wood) team up with this amazing guitar player to create a great mixture of gospel and blues. Each musician is a master of their instrument and the songs are amazing.
I was a bit hesitant about John Medeski as I don't really like his other band (MMW) because they get a little too far out there and it sounds more like noise than music to me. I was surprised to hear Medeski playing great keyboards and never really offending my ears.
This album grooves and it screams. Hear The Word and be healed!