John Medeski's Mad Skillet

Mad Skillet was born of a late night show in New Orleans, LA during Jazz Fest 2015. It came out kicking and screaming, laughing and wailing, laying down a deep New Orleans groove steeped in jazz, blues, psychedelic rock, and R&B.

Band members are leader, keyboardist John Medeski (Medeski Martin & Wood, The Word), Grammy nominated guitarist/bandleader Will Bernard (Medicine Hat, Party Hats), New Orleans native sousaphone player Kirk Joseph (Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Backyard Groove), and drummer Terence Higgins (Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Ani DiFranco) also a New Orleans native.

Medeski and Bernard’s yearly quest to play together during Jazz Fest found a special chemistry with the addition of Joseph and Higgins. The eclectic, far-reaching backgrounds of Medeski and Bernard alongside this legendary NOLA rhythm section generated what Medeski calls, “a vast musical universe with limitless potential”.

“Terence and Kirk are a great rhythm section. Classic. They’re overflowing with tradition, yet always ready to go any direction the music calls for. It’s rare to find musicians with such deep roots who are also open to experimentation. I’ve always wanted an excuse to play with them, so when Will mentioned using Kirk on the gig, I thought it was the perfect time to bring Terence in too. And Will Bernard… well, something happens to Will when he’s in The Crescent City. It’s like superman coming out of the phone booth!” says Medeski.

John Medeski is best known for his buoyant, organ-centric approach to jazz as a part of trailblazing trio Medeski Martin & Wood, he also collaborates often with John Zorn and John Scofield and plays in lauded super-groups The Word, Spectrum Road, and Phil & Friends and in 2013 he released a introspective solo piano album on OKeh/Sony Records called, A Different Time.