John Medeski, Stanton Moore, Nels Cline & Skerik unite at the Bowl on THU, MAR 12!
The genre-defying masters JOHN MEDESKI, STANTON MOORE, NELS CLINE & SKERIK come to BROOKLYN BOWL on THU MAR 12
In an era where genres are marketed and categorized, JOHN MEDESKI, STANTON MOORE, NELS CLINE & SKERIK have built careers around blowing them apart. This THU, MAR 12, Brooklyn Bowl will be the home to a collision of groove, passion, and fearless improvisation.
With a reputation for his versatility, John Medeski has found himself defined as an uncontainable keyboard master. John Medeski is a familiar face at Brooklyn Bowl, having appeared multiple times over the past decade in both collaborative sets and guest spots with artists like Galactic, Soulive, and Nels Cline.Best known as one-third of the groundbreaking trio Medeski Martin & Wood, a jazz-fusion band where he helped dismantle the boundaries of genre. Together they pushed against any genre boundaries and created a new, unique sound. The trio did not merely blend genres; they made genre labels feel irrelevant. Over the decades, he has collaborated with an extraordinary range of artists, including John Zorn, Robert Randolph (as part of The Word), Phil Lesh, Don Was, John Scofield, Coheed and Cambria, Susana Baca, Sean Lennon, Marc Ribot, Irma Thomas, Blind Boys of Alabama, and Dirty Dozen Brass Band, among many others.
John Medeski at Brooklyn Bowl with Medeski, Russo and Cline (2025 Image by Ken Spielman.
Medeski’s genre-defying approach, deep roots in improvisation, and distinctive sonic palette have made him one of the most sought-out and versatile keyboardists of his generation. This experimental texture woven from funk and jazz roots is exactly what Medeski will be bringing to Brooklyn Bowl.
The groove only deepens with the addition of drummer Stanton Moore to this powerhouse lineup. Moore does not color within the lines; he reinvents them. A Grammy Award–winning musician, educator, and performer, Moore has built his career on the rich rhythmic traditions of New Orleans. As a founding member of the New Orleans-based funk jam band Galactic, he has expanded his global reach through collaborations with artists such as Maceo Parker, Joss Stone, Irma Thomas, Leo Nocentelli and George Porter (of the Meters), Tom Morello (of Rage Against the Machine), Corrosion of Conformity, Donald Harrison Jr., Nicholas Payton, Trombone Shorty, Skerik, Charlie Hunter, Robert Walter, Will Bernard, Ivan Neville, Anders Osborne and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
Both Stanton and his band Galactic are no strangers to the Brooklyn Bowl stage. Stanton has brought collaborative sets to the venue several times, featuring a rotating cast of musicians. Galactic, meanwhile, has also made repeated stops at the Bowl over the years, playing more than 20 shows since 2009. On JUN 27, they will return to the venue once again, featuring vocalist Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph.
Stanton Moore at Brooklyn Bowl with Galactic (2025) Image by Jamie Huenefeld.
Stanton Moore’s rhythm reinforces the natural connection between sound and movement, making it nearly impossible not to boogie
On guitar, the musical polymath Nels Cline, best known to most people as Wilco’s guitarist for the past two decades, brings a sound that defies categorization. His arrival, equipped with a massive pedalboard, added a new atmospheric level to Wilco’s sound without changing the root of the songwriting. Although long before indie rock audiences knew his name, Cline was immersed in experimental scenes, collaborating with boundary-pushers and building a reputation as a musician who listens as fiercely as he plays.
It won’t be Cline’s first time at the Bowl. He previously appeared there in the summer of 2025 alongside Dr. Dog’s Eric Slick as part of a supergroup that also featured Kevin Morby, Cass McCombs, and others, in addition to other performances with Medeski.
Nels Cline with Jenn Wasner and Jessica Dobson - In Slick Rick’s unlimited edition show. Photo by Ken Spielman.
Born in Los Angeles, Cline and his twin brother, Alex Cline, formed their first band, Homogonized Goo. Early on, he drew inspiration from classic psychedelic rock artists like Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, and Pete Townshend. Over time, he came under the guidance of prominent West Coast free-jazz figures, including multi-instrumentalist Vinny Golia and bassist, pianist, and composer Eric Von Essen. In the 1990s, he became widely known for his prolific work under his self-titled project, his Nels Cline Trio. By 2011, Nels Cline was named one of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” by Rolling Stone. A prestigious honor that, while notable, only hints at the depth, curiosity, and adventurous spirit that define his work.
Cline’s artistry has always resisted easy categorization. His performances, such as his recent appearances at Blue Note Jazz Club, demonstrate a musician equally comfortable moving between meditative lyricism, bursts of free improvisation, and textural experimentation. Rather than adhering to a single tradition, Cline approaches music as an open field of possibility.
Last but certainly not least is Skerik. Saxophonist Skerik has played Brooklyn Bowl multiple times, including shows with Stanton Moore, guest appearances with Galactic and other collaborations.
The Seattle-born saxophone master stresses the importance of the conceptual side of sound and leans into understanding of where these thoughts/movements come from. Oftentimes putting himself in the position of an architect of sound, Skerik first gained national attention through the boundary-pushing trio Critters Buggin, a project that fused jazz, rock and African rhythms. He later gained recognition with the jazz-jam groove fusion group Garage a Trois, alongside Stanton Moore, and pushed his musical boundaries even further with Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade, stepping into prog-rock territory while maintaining his improvisational voice.
In the end, what defines Skerik is not affiliation but intention, as his treatment of the saxophone is not as an object but as a living instrument.