The Word
A Review

“Preach the gospel at all times . . . if necessary, use words.”
St. Francis of Assisi

Are ideas about faith best communicated through words? Mystical, powerful, inspirational words? One listen to the ironically titled instrumental album, “The Word,” and the thought that such communication should be confined to words seems laughable. “The Word” is a representation of the ecstatic outburst of joy that faith can generate in a heart reborn. Its medium—soulful instrumental renditions of gospel songs—convey the content of the gospel on a different plain entirely. In so doing, the album speaks to listeners in a manner not normally experienced through mere words.

The project was masterminded by John Medeski, featured organist of the avant-garde jazz trio Medeski, Martin and Wood known for its genre-defying work. Medeski and members of the North Mississippi All-Stars (on tour with MMW at the time) recognized that they had found a common bond when they heard the album, “Sacred Steel” (Arhoolie), which featured music from the House of God, a predominately African-American church founded around the turn of the century,

Music plays a significant role in The House of God’s worship service, and their peculiar brand of music was largely unknown outside the church before the release of “Sacred Steel” and “Sacred Steel Live.” The House of God brand of worship music is characterized by its bluesy style of gospel that features the pedal and lap steel guitar in place of an organ or piano as the lead instrument.

After discovering “Sacred Steel,” Medeski and North Mississippi All-Stars soon discovered the amazing pedal steel guitar player Robert Randolph who helped fully flesh out the vision of an instrumental House of God style gospel album. The result: “The Word.”

Medeski, who possesses a musical vocabulary as expansive as virtually any musicologist, accesses his musical repertoire to become the chief translator of the spirit and the heart into notes, rhythms and expressions. The first two songs, “Joyful Sounds” and “Call Him by His Name” pulled from the “Sacred Steel” collection, were written by House of God artist Glen Lee, who unfortunately died just prior to the sessions for this project. Also notable are the traditional tunes “Blood on That Rock,” “I Shall Not Be Moved,” and “Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning,” which are included with a handful of other originals written by this project’s lineup.

While gospel music has been said to be unique because of the emphasis it places on the message, many have erroneously assumed that this all important and critical message is to be found singularly in the lyrics. This may seem to be a self-evident argument, but this album defies you to listen to the music without feeling the stirring in your soul of something deep, something real, something that you have always known is in there, waiting to be quickened. And “The Word” is that instrument of quickening, bringing to the surface a spiritual dimension that you may not access in any other way than through music.

True to musical form, these improvisational artists use this musical platform to follow their hearts and explore this musical spiritual vista. The gospel they find just cannot be contained by words, no matter how mystical, powerful or inspirational those words might be.

Picture Imperfect

Perambulating the Pentateuch

The Word

A Fool's Hope

John Medeski, The North Mississippi Allstars & Robert Randolph
Ropeadope Records 2001