Jazz Articles about The Bad Plus

The Bad Plus: Prog

by Christopher Shoe
June 13, 2007

Since its appearance on the music scene in 2003, The Bad Plus has been at the forefront of numerous debates within the world of jazz and beyond. Questions of genre placement and definition terminology seem to plague this esoteric band. Its newest disc Prog certainly won't answer these questions or solve these debates. In fact, it might just spur these arguments on. However, there is a solid truth to be found regardless: these three musicians--Reid Anderson (bass), Ethan Iverson (piano) ...

The Bad Plus: Prog

by Troy Collins
May 1, 2007

Free from the confines of major label machinery, The Bad Plus returns to its independent roots fully rejuvenated with Prog, its fifth studio album and first on its own Do The Math imprint (distributed by Heads Up). Although a three-album tenure on Columbia Records brought The Bad Plus far greater recognition than its self-titled 2001 debut on the indie label Fresh Sound, it also seemed to gradually sap the trio of its vivaciousness.

What was once a mark ...

The Bad Plus: Suspicious Activity?

by Brian P. Lonergan
November 25, 2005

The Bad Plus is nothing if not confounding. The trio exalts in ambiguity and delights in dodging definition. Its music at once conveys affected irony and honest intelligence, melodrama and real poignancy. It resists interpretation. But one thing is for certain: the Bad Plus has created one of the most original and unmistakable sounds in contemporary music. The trio's third major-label album, Suspicious Activity?, will do little to quell the arguments the previous two have fueled in ...

Suspicious Activity Indeed: The Bad Plus Live

by Doug Collette
October 15, 2005

Irreverent and eccentric, The Bad Plus are a bundle of nervous energy when they play. Yet as this ever-so-intimate venue in the Green Mountains of Vermont, the trio entranced rather than repel by dint of their humor and imagination, not to mention just enough conventionalism to make their quirks that much more effective.

The early part of the September 30th set was akin to watching an aerial view of race cars, the three musicians--Ethan Iverson on piano, Reid Anderson ...

The Bad Plus: Blunt Object: Live in Tokyo

by Matt Merewitz
March 30, 2005

A turbulent foray into experimental terrain recorded live at the Blue Note in Tokyo, bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson, and drummer David King, who together make up the The Bad Plus, explore a plethora of styles on their third Columbia release Blunt Object: Live In Tokyo. It is most certainly their most inventive, risk-taking session to date; a logical outgrowth of their rock and shock reputation.

Can you believe its been over two years now that the ...

The Bad Plus: The Bad Plus

by Mark Sabbatini
August 21, 2004

Is there another group that excels this well at not taking themselves seriously?

The Bad Plus are earning raves as either stupendous or just plain stupid for their radical interpretations of pop standards, making their major label debut on 2003's These Are The Vistas and following up with 2004's Give . But as is the case with many artists, there's also a number of small-label releases of interest to fans--and one is relatively easy to obtain without resorting ...

The Bad Plus and Good For Cows

by Terrell Kent Holmes
July 11, 2004

The Bad Plus Give Sony-Columbia 2004

The Bad Plus, jazz's ground breaking trio, have followed up their acclaimed release These Are the Vistas with Give , a disc that reaffirms the band's intentions to do nothing conventional, and to shift the music's landscape. The format of the disc is similar: predominantly originals mixed with covers, featuring the band's penchant for Mingus-esque titling and already trademark rhythmic construction and arrangements, and double-edged satire.

The opener, ...