The most remarkable aspect of the organ-fueled trio Medeski, Martin & Wood is its draw. Instrumental outfits don't usually draw big crowds to Bogart's, but these guys nearly packed the place again Saturday night.

        After taking in their show, which lasted more than two hours, it's apparent neither the group nor its new-breed-hippie fans has a use for singing. Apparently it's not necessary to drop in some lyrics about nature and traveling down the endless highway to placate these folks anymore. MM&W's music was all about the rhythm, dominated by a mid-tempo funk groove designed specifically for the needs and desires of a crowd looking to boogie on through the night.

        While the phenomenon of a instrumental band reaching a level of popularity as great as any of today's jam bands not including Phish is indeed remarkable, the music itself is not. Granted, the three musicians — keyboardist John Medeski, bassist Chris Wood and drummer Billy Martin — proved over the course of the night they could play. But as a unit their pieces sounded derived. Style jumpers is what they are: They have good taste as far as what influences them, but it has all been done better before.

        The two greatest styles informing the two Saturday sets were '70s jazz fusion and '70s New Orleans funk. The fusion was of the Miles Davis variety, with blasts of Mr. Medeski's keyboard skronk ringing out like something off the trumpeter's mid-70s live double-LPs Agharta and Pangaea.

        As for the New Orleans funk, there were some pretty good Meters rip-offs here and there, kind of like the instrumental numbers on the Beastie Boys' album Check Your Head, only played with better chops. But, of course, a Meters rip-off can't beat the real thing.

        If their big draw is their most remarkable quality, the fact that they're the only organ trio that doesn't swing is nearly as noteworthy. Blame the drummer. He colored things up with an large collection of exotic percussion instruments, but playing the drums Mr. Martin seemed only interested in a busied-up straight-rock beat. Perhaps it was an inability to swing that steered the tunes back toward the same old Miles, same old Meters territory when the possibilities for a good, swinging organ trio are boundless.

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