M&Ms cover it all in Ardmore

The M&Ms obviously didn't wrack their brains coming up with what to call themselves. The candy-coated name was inspired by the shared second initial of the four members of the newly formed supergroup - singer and guitarist Papa Mali, keyboardist John Medeski, bassist Robert Mercurio, and drummer Stanton Moore. That tossed-off idea is in line with the band's feel-over-thinking vibe, which they displayed at the Ardmore Music Hall on Friday night.

All four members share virtuosic talents they place in service of uncomplicated, groove-based music. Medeski also provides the first 'M' in MMW (Medeski Martin & Wood), the long-running jazz trio that folds a wealth of diverse interests into its loose-limbed sound; Mali has long combined his Big Easy background with influences from reggae and rock; Moore and Mercurio also form the rhythm section of the funk/jam band Galactic.

The quartet's skill at walking a tightrope over jam-band celebration, jazz exploration, and rock electricity came into play in a set Friday that rolled past the 90-minute mark and the midnight hour. A few breezy, funky originals were mixed into a set of largely familiar songs by the likes of the Who, Professor Longhair, and Nina Simone. At times, they sounded like the world's most overqualified cover band.

For much of the set, the band was supplemented by singers Margie Perez and Monica McIntyre, whom Mali dubbed the "Femme & Ms." The duo locked into the intricate back-and-forth vocals of Allen Toussaint's "Yes We Can Can," and each was given a solo showcase, with McIntyre impressively belting out Simone's "Funkier Than a Mosquito's Tweeter."

Surrounded by electric piano, organ, and clavinet, Medeski brought a variety of surprising sounds to what might otherwise have felt like a Jazz Fest after-party jam. His organ sound in particular transformed from smooth soul-jazz to ringing gospel to shimmering psychedelia, creating a "Sgt. Pepper" intro with McIntyre's cello for the band's first single, "Melts in Your Mind." Like most bands that don't shy away from the "jam" label, their set felt indulgent and overlong at times but snapped back into focus with their climactic charge through Led Zeppelin's "How Many More Times."

The headliners were preceded by Philadelphia's eight-piece Swift Technique, which played enthusiastic if generic funk. The horn section gave the show an element of amiable schtick, imitating zombies and marching into the balcony.