The Bad Plus plays rock and jazz too, but its overall sensibility is squarely rooted in jazz improvisation and open-minded creativity.
With its primary focus on writing original music, the trio gives equal attention to interpreting rock songs. An early album included a re-read of ABBA's “Knowing Me Knowing You." Four years ago, the trio reinterpreted non-jazz tunes such as Nirvana's “Smells Like Teen Spirit," Blondie's “Heart of Glass" and Aphex Twin's “Film" on its CD, “These Are the Vistas."
The trio sticks to this approach in its live shows, too. A May 2004 live show at the Blue Note jazz club in Tokyo made its way onto CD as “Blunt Object: Live in Tokyo" in 2005. That performance featured jazz renderings of Freddie Mercury's “We Are the Champions" and the aforementioned Blondie and Aphex Twin songs.
The Bad Plus -- acoustic bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson and drummer David King -- shares a bill with Christopher O'Riley at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton Feb. 23.
With its primary focus on writing original music, the trio gives equal attention to interpreting rock songs. An early album included a re-read of ABBA's “Knowing Me Knowing You." Four years ago, the trio reinterpreted non-jazz tunes such as Nirvana's “Smells Like Teen Spirit," Blondie's “Heart of Glass" and Aphex Twin's “Film" on its CD, “These Are the Vistas."
The trio sticks to this approach in its live shows, too. A May 2004 live show at the Blue Note jazz club in Tokyo made its way onto CD as “Blunt Object: Live in Tokyo" in 2005. That performance featured jazz renderings of Freddie Mercury's “We Are the Champions" and the aforementioned Blondie and Aphex Twin songs.
The Bad Plus -- acoustic bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson and drummer David King -- shares a bill with Christopher O'Riley at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton Feb. 23.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
