Baby Beats: Baby Beats' six degrees of separation

Larry was pleased to learn that the Medeski, Martin and Wood album, "Let's Go Everywhere" (Little Monster Music), was set for release Jan. 8. It's been eagerly awaited by both fans of the trio and the just plain curious. Recorded in February 2006, it has endured a series of delays because of all-too-typical record-industry transitions.

In the interview at Montalvo, percussionist Billy Martin told me he really enjoyed working on the project. "What was amazing was that we got into the studio, and we wrote stuff that came out in a way which, I felt, was really, really special," he said. "This is one of the best experiences I've had writing music."

In addition to keyboardist John Medeski and guitarist-bassist-vocalist Chris Wood, "Let's Go Everywhere" features vocals by Chris' brother, Oliver, John Lurie of the Lounge Lizards and three children, Sawyer and Dakota Martin and Nissa Wood.

Even before the new album "our music has been popular with parents," said Chris Wood, "but this time we wrote specifically with children in mind."

Medeski said, "It has a certain lightness to it."

In the same way that the Scooby Doo characters are sometimes portrayed as kids in cartoons, one can imagine a junior Medeski, Martin and Wood performing these originals, which enthusiastically address the wonder of plane and train travel and surprising facts that catch the attention of kids, as in the song "Pirates Don't Take Baths." Some childhood standards such as "Pat-a-Cake" and "Hickory Dickory Dock" also get slightly left-of-center musical treatments on the disc.

So far, the trio has not scheduled any family-matinee tours, but it was scheduled to perform at a Borders in Manhattan during family-friendly hours this week.

Some songs, such as the new album's track No. 3, "Cat Creeps," have been added to the set list for the band's grown-up audiences. "We definitely stretch it out a little further than on the record," said Medeski with a chuckle.

For more information, visit the trio's Web site, www.mmw.net. You can hear excerpts from "Let's Go Everywhere" at www.littlemonsterrecords.com.