The Bad Plus (formed in 2000) is an American avant-garde jazz trio whose 2003 debut, “These Are the Vistas”, showcased the band’s rock and pop-infused style to a national audience, hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Comprised of upright bassist Reid Anderson, drummer David King, and pianist Ethan Iverson, The Bad Plus’ members had met on a number of occasions before teaming up in 1990. Despite occasional performances together, the band didn’t official form until 2000, following a decade of Anderson, King, and Iverson collecting fruitful musical influences. Upon forming, The Bad Plus performed three live shows together before releasing their self-titled debut album on Fresh Sound in 2001.
The band subsequently played a show at the Village Vanguard, which was spotted by Yves Beauvais of Columbia Records, who singed The Bad Plus in 2002. The following year the band issued their major label debut, “These Are the Vistas”, featuring covers of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Blondie’s “Heart of Glass”, and earning widespread critical acclaim. In 2004 The Bad Plus issued their fourth full-length “Give”, an experimental mix of rock-driven jazz record in Wiltshire, England. The band headed to the UK again to record their fifth album “Suspicious Activity?”, which features original compositions by all of the group’s members and released in 2005.
The full-length “PROG” followed in 2007, cementing the group as staples of contemporary avant-garde jazz, after which they invited vocalist Wendy Lewis to contribute to their seventh studio album “For All I Care” in 2009. Marking their first album to feature all orignal material, 2010’s “Never Stop” earned rave reviews and was supported by extensive touring. Two years later The Bad Plus issued the full-length “Made Possible” before recording a version of Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring”, and releasing their ninth studio album “Inevitable Western” in March 2014.
Joe Claussell
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