Watch John Medeski, Marc Ribot & Joe Russo Deliver Stunning ‘Hey Joe’ Cover

Keyboardist John Medeski, guitarist Marc Ribot and drummer Joe Russo united on Tuesday night for a pair of benefit concerts at The Sultan Room in Brooklyn. The out-of-this-world trio presented early and late shows filled with improvisation and video of their ethereal “Hey Joe” encore from the first performance can be viewed below.

Proceeds from both shows benefited the Music Workers Alliance, an organization fighting for the rights of music workers locally and nationwide. The Music Workers Alliance “seeks to initiate, organize, and support collective action that empowers independent music workers,” as per the organization’s website.

Joe Russo and John Medeski previously shared the stage as members of Phil Lesh & Friends. The drummer and keyboardist also teamed with Dave Harrington for an improvisational set at the 2021 Brooklyn Comes Alive festival.

Ribot, Russo and Medeski varied tempos throughout each performance as they covered plenty of terrain with their jamming. The trio would go from zero to 60 in a flash and then bring the music down to a delicate simmer just as quickly.

Credited to Billy Roberts, the Jimi Hendrix Experience popularized “Hey Joe” with their first single in 1966. The Byrds, Cher, Wilson Pickett, Nick Cave & The Seeds, Black Uhuru, Seal, The Lemonheads, Robert Plant and ZZ Top are among the diverse array of artists who have covered the song over the past 60 years.

The version of “Hey Joe” played by John Medeski, Marc Ribot and Joe Russo was a powerful, slow-burning instrumental. Medeski started the 10-minute rendition with gorgeous organ blasts before Russo and Ribot joined in. The keyboardist led the cover initially and then the guitarist shredded an outrageous solo as Russo picked up the pace underneath him.

View video of “Hey Joe” and clips of jams from last night’s benefits below:

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Source: JamBase.com