INDY'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTING ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

Web exclusive: The Bad Plus play Saturday

 

The Bad Plus
Jazz Kitchen
Saturday, Sept. 22, 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., $18

The instrumental trio The Bad Plus caused a furor among jazz critics when they first appeared on the scene in 2000. Now five albums later, with critical acclaim and numerous performances across the country and around the world, The Bad Plus have shown there is a new branch off of the jazz tree, and it is being well received by the public.

All three members of the trio are from the Midwest. They are a cohesive, cooperative group who equally share in composing original tunes. Pianist Ethan Iverson’s compositions are intellectual and complex, drummer David King’s compositions are rhythmic and surreal while bassist Reid Andersons’ compositions are romantic and melodic.

The Bad Plus cover tunes by Nirvana, Björk, Queen and Black Sabbath, among others. Anderson says they are musically influenced in many ways. “The cornerstone of The Bad Plus is that we are influenced by free jazz, as well as traditional jazz and other forms like rock and classical [music],” he says. “I think that naturally there are other kinds of approaches to rhythm in the world. We just try to find a way to bring these different things together with a sense of clarity. By doing that, you find the place where styles blur and become something else.”

The Bad Plus favors collective improvisation instead of individual soloing and avoids musical clichés. “What we do to the music and cover tunes is actually quite abstract and avant-garde. It allows the audience a doorway into all of our music,” Anderson says.