[following excerpt from Guitar Player magazine interview with Trey, 5/1996]

GP: Medeski, Martin and Wood played with Phish recently, and someone at one show told me that your audience didn't quite know what to make of it.

Trey: Was it New Orleans?

GP: Yes.

Trey: I didn't know what to make of it in New Orleans! [Laughs.] It was an experiment. In Austin we had this incredible 25-minute jam with both bands, with this screaming peak where everyone was running around the stage at a full sprint and shit was buzzing all over the place. And then New Orleans, about three days later, we decided to go for it again and literally start from nothing, which is the big risk. But between both bands, we'd rather take a risk than not. I don't generally like saying this because I don't like to stomp on someone's experience--and people did come up and say New Orleans was an incredible experience--but I personally didn't like it. [Laughs.] I liked that we were on a limb. I'd much rather jump off the cliff than walk on the path, and we jumped. But I thought we were sucking.

* * *

As the first to review this show for .net, I'm here to tell you that it -- and particularly, the Suzy > Keyboard Army > 35min Jam with Medeski, Martin, and Wood -- DID not and DOES not suck.

The YEMMW from three days earlier is legendary, and deservedly so. Trey sums it up pretty well in the interview above... but it definitely sounds like Phish jamming away, with the members of MMW sitting in and providing accent and color. THIS night's jam is the exact inverse - it sounds like MMW at their best, engaging in one of their renowned sets of straight free improv, with the members of Phish finding the perfect space in the pocket to push and pull in slightly different directions. Great progression and natural flow between meter-free jazz, percussive chaos, and several flavors of that phenomenal MMW groove space. Throw in a spine-tingling DEG tease from Mike during an opportune breakdown, some shockingly tuneful trombone and vacuum work from Fish, and moments of Trey actually CONTRIBUTING rhythmically on his mini drum kit for a change, and you've got yourself a jam for the ages.

HIGHLY recommended... and don't sleep on yet another outstanding Fall '95 Stash in the first set.

Link to the full GP/Trey interview --> http://www.phisharchive.com/articles/1996/gp.html

This Stash is a work of art, don't sleep on it. If only for a moment-- it gets very major, cinematic with an unusual melody, very unique, and for fall 95 Stash lovers, particularly those who like 11/14/95, get on this to see the path these guys were on to go on to create that masterpiece. At about 5:45 it'll grab you for the first time, then head back into normal Stash territory, and then fade out a bit as it concludes, almost how the 11/14/95 jam begins.

SET 1: Sample in a Jar, Stash, Uncle Pen, AC/DC Bag > Maze, Glide, Sparkle > Free, Strange Design, Amazing Grace

First set summary: While played well, there is nothing in my ears or eyes to revisit here. I am sure this was a blast in person, I mean – Phish in New Orleans, right?

SET 2: Mound > Prince Caspian, The Fog That Surrounds, Suzy Greenberg -> All played close to the vest.Keyboard Army: All played close to the vest ->

Jam: Have listened a few times over the years. Not many redeeming qualities. Once Fish gets off the Trombone the last five minutes or so are groovy. The rest is just to out there for me. No replay value for my ears.

ENCORE: My Long Journey Home, I'm Blue, I'm Lonesome

Second set summary: There is nothing here that grabs me. For me, this is the worst show of the tour so far. Probably cool in person with the special guests and all. I would rate this a 2.5 out of 5.