The Bad Plus feat. Joshua Redman live at Jazzfestival Saalfelden 2011

Joshua Redman, sax
Ethan Iverson, piano
Reid Anderson, bass
Dave King, drums

recorded live at Kongreßhaus, Saalfelden, August 28, 2011

1. Love Is The Answer (Reid Anderson)
2. 2 PM (Ethan Iverson)
3. Introductions by Ethan Iverson
4. Thriftstore Jewelry (Dave King)
5. People Like You (Reid Anderson)
6. Big Eater (Reid Anderson)
7. Silence Is The Question (Reid Anderson)
8. Layin' A Strip For The Higher Self-State-Line (Dave King)

"Most contemporary jazz groups merely preach to the choir, but the Bad Plus is that rare band that’s managed to get through to the world beyond the jazz audience. Its ingenious tactic is to play acoustic jazz with the rhythmic sensibilities a Rush fan might appreciate, and early on the trio made a specialty of jazz interpretations of recent anthems. Adding tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman to the fray might seem counterproductive in terms of that goal—after all, he strengthens the group’s ties to music that jazz fans like. Yet even the grungiest rocker couldn’t deny that the combination is remarkable. It may be the jazz snob in me, but as much as I’ve enjoyed the Bad Plus up to now, this is the first time that I find myself describing its music as beautiful.

Mr. Redman joining Bad Plus puts me in mind of the scene in “The Wizard of Oz” where Dorothy steps out of the house and all of a sudden everything is in Technicolor. It’s the same movie, but now the whole shebang is much more vivid and vibrant. Compared with what Mr. Redman, pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson and drummer Dave King played during the late set on Tuesday night, everything the trio has done thus far sounds almost like mere monochrome by comparison.

Of course, the Bad Plus still sounds like the Bad Plus. As always, there’s the exceptional playing of Mr. King: Most jazz lovers feel about drumming the way the Tea Party feels about government: less is better. Our highest praise is that a drummer plays subtly, pushing the band without making a lot of noise. Yet Mr. King’s in-your-face, all-over-the-place drumming is an integral part of the BP’s sound—loud as it is, his playing is about serving the group rather than himself. Percussion should derive from the consent of the governed rather than the threat of force." - Will Friedwald, The Wall Street Journal

The Bad Plus Meets Django Bates live at London Jazz Festival 2010

Ethan Iverson (piano)
Reid Anderson (bass)
Dave King (drums)
Django Bates (Eb horn, electric piano, vocals and effects)
Recorded at Kings Place during the London Jazz Festival 2010,  November 20, 2010

Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV a and b

Here we present a special collaboration between US alt-jazz trio The Bad Plus and UK maverick composer and bandleader Django Bates. Known for their deconstructions of pop hits, The Bad Plus have developed a fresh approach to the piano trio line up over the last decade. One of their musical inspirations is the UK musician Django Bates, particularly his work with the English big band Loose Tubes and his own group Delightful Precipice. This concert brings them together for the first time. Recorded at Kings Place during the London Jazz Festival 2010.
NEVER STOP is the first album by The Bad Plus to consist entirely of originals. Recorded in Minnesota with a live, stripped-down sound, NEVER STOP showcases the band's range as well as its three distinct personalities. From gentle and melodic to fierce and abstract, from swing to 80's techno, NEVER STOP is tied together by a group sound that embraces diversity as strength. Ten years in, The Bad Plus is here to stay.