Jazz Trio Rocks Out

By Connect2Mason Reporter Lauren Jost

When one thinks of jazz music, rock acts such as Yes, Blondie, Nirvana, and Iron Maiden do not normally come to mind. This is not the case for jazz trio The Bad Plus. The alternative jazz group from Minneapolis, Minnesota has been blending jazz and classic rock hits for nearly a decade.

Composed of Reid Anderson (bassist), Ethan Iverson (pianist), and Dave King (drummer), the trio has been playing together since 1989 but officially established The Bad Plus in 2000. After two concept studio albums The Bad Plus released their first EP These Are Vistas in 2003. The album boasts original jazz numbers as well as a revolutionary covers of Nirvana’s “Smells like Teen Spirit” and Blondie’s “Heart of Glass.”

Described as “distinctive, eclectic, and formidable” by IMNWorld.com, The Bad Plus brings an altogether different layer of musicality to jazz. Although The Bad Plus is known for reinventing classic rock songs with a different twist, they still hold true to authentic aspects of jazz.

What makes The Bad Plus unique is their ability to combine familiar jazz sounds with famous melodies and riffs from rock songs. Twittering piano interludes take the place of guitar solos and soft brush strokes on snare drums add a subtle touch to otherwise heavy rock songs. Iconic jazz characteristics like these are musical phrases that keep the overall sound of The Bad Plus solidly grounded in jazz genre.

The Bad Plus’ extensive career has produced eight studio albums. Their most recent production is For All I Care (2009), which features indie-rock vocalist Wendy Lewis. For All I Care is made up entirely of cover songs, a different venture for The Bad Plus. A few notable favorites off the album are “Comfortably Numb” by Pink Floyd, “How Deep is Your Love” by Bee Gees and “Barracuda” by Heart.