Medeski Martin & Wood merge rock, funk, and jazz in their spirited extended jams. Like The Grateful Dead, the group has found its true home in concert halls and clubs rather than in the studio. Veteran jazz guitarist John Scofield teams up with the trio on this live album, In Case the World Changes Its Mind. MM&W backed Scofield on his 1998 release A Go Go, and the four got together again as Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood on 2006’s Out Louder. One thing that distinguishes the band is its ability to deftly move from deep grooves to more avant stretches. For example, one passage in “Hanuman” evokes the evocative impressionism of electric Miles Davis. (The band clearly likes to explore textures; check out John Medeski’s wonderfully dirty synth timbres on the same track.) The album includes five Scofield originals, one piece by bassist Chris Wood, and a number of group efforts. And it’s a thrill to hear the band tackle the traditional “Amazing Grace,” a cut featuring highly engaged solos by Scofield, Medeski (on organ), and Wood.