Uninvisible

Medeski, Martin & Wood’s steadfast refusal to keep pumping out the same tired grooves has made their catalog hit and miss. It’s also kept them from falling into the sort of creative rut that plagues too many bands on the noodle-rock circuit. Uninvisible, the jazz-funk trio’s latest album, is definitely more hit than miss. Washes from John Medeski’s organ swirl around powerful bursts of brass on the alluring and atmospheric title track. The epic “Nocturnal Transmission” follows a similar path, with horns and keyboards bobbing in and out of a moody, dubbed-out haze. Elsewhere, DJ P Love’s turntable wizardry adds some punch to “Pappy Check,” while “Off the Table” displays a subtle western swagger. Medeski overplays a bit in places, and some of this stuff occasionally descends into what is commonly know as “wankery,” but bassist Chris Wood and percussionist Billy Martin share an instinctual sense of rhythm that keeps even the album’s wildest workouts on course.