‘Note Bleu: Best of the Blue Note Years 1998 – 2005’ is a wonderful sampling of the five releases from the New York improvisational trio Medeski Martin & Wood. The release definitely leans towards more of an electric sound that pushed MMW out from the underground with a heavy focus on Medeski’s Hammond B-3, but also does not forgo their acoustic beginnings. With a taste of all their Blue Note releases it will give a new listener a solid foundation and quick education of the trio's inventive style. The compilation shows the impeccable chops that MMW possess, showcasing their uncanny ability to groove off of each other while twisting and turning between jazz, funk, rock, downtempo and the avant-garde. That’s the beauty of the trio - a unique sound, tasteful, complex and thoroughly enjoyable.

Their first Blue Note release ‘Combustication’ showed their willingness to experiment. Recording with long time live collaborator DJ Logic, the track “Sugar Craft” brought MMW commercial success. They followed with the bristling live set ‘Tonic’ that showcased their acoustic pedigree. The track “Hey Joe” shows their knack of doing a cover real justice and I’m sure, those who have seen MMW live can testify. Then came their definitive release ‘The Dropper.’ MMW’s unwillingness to fall into a repetitive trap and choosing not to replicate their earlier successes resulted in a record where they showcased new collaborators and challenged the listener. The track for which this compilation is named, the bossa tinged groove, “Note Bleu” is also included. The band returned in 2002 with ‘Uninvisible,’ some surreal funk explorations shown in the set with “Pappy Check” featuring another turntablist, DJ Olive, and 2 more tracks. 2004 brought ‘End of the World Party (just in case).’ The band worked with mainstream producer, the Dust Brothers’ John King (Beck, Beastie Boys), and the set showed their continued experimentation again. The tracks included from this 2004 release including the title track featuring a much chunkier textured sound than the previous MMW releases. John Medeski shows his mastery of every keyboard known to man and the rhythm section of Chris Wood and Billy Martin remains plain damn funky as always, whether lying back slightly or pushing a groove hard.

Long time fans may want to opt for the deluxe edition, which contains previously unreleased tracks and a DVD highlighting live performances, music videos and photo galleries.