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Friday Afternoon in the Universe is an album released by experimental jazz fusion trio Medeski Martin & Wood.

AllMusic Review by Richard S. Ginell:
Here, the MMW direction and loyalties become very clear; they’re possessed and driven by the fatback funk and instruments of an earlier generation. John Medeski becomes one of the wave of keyboardists in the ’90s who started dragging wonderful old Wurlitzer electric pianos, Hohner clavinets, Hammond organs, wah-wah pedals, and other devices out of the mothballs, and used them almost as quasi-percussion instruments at times. Chris Wood remains resolutely on standup bass, playing with a great feeling for Billy Martin’s supremely funky drumming. Some of the results harken back to Miles Davis’ jungle bands of the mid-’70s, picking up on the atonality and crosstalk over the JB’s/Sly Stone beat (“We’re So Happy”). Others are just happy to groove along on the rhythms of some of the most irresistible group chemistry of the 1990s.

Track listing:

All music by Medeski Martin & Wood except where noted in brackets.

1- The Lover
2- Paper Bass 6:19
3- House Mop 7:15
4- Last Chance To Dance Trance (Perhaps) 11:02
5- Baby Clams 18:34
6- We’re So Happy 19:48
7- Shack 28:05
8- Tea 31:11
9- Chinoiserie 32:24
10- Between Two Limbs 38:09
11- Sequel 39:12
12- Friday Afternoon In The Universe 44:37
13- Billy’s Tool Box 50:38
14- Chubb Sub 51:13
15- Khob Khun Krub (Thai For ‘Thank You’) 56:16

Personnel:

John Medeski – organ, piano, wurlitzer, clavinet
Billy Martin – drums, percussion
Chris Wood – acoustic bass, harmonica, wood flute
Danny Blume – guitar
Tonino Benson – raygun, vocals
Carl Green – Thai flute

Released: January 24, 1995
Recorded: July 24-July 26, 1994
(Sears Sound, NYC)
January-February 1994
(Puna, Hawaii)
Label Gramavision Records
Producer Medeski Martin & Wood, David Baker, Jim Payne