Bass and drums are generally thought to be paired with guitars, not pianos, but The Bad Plus counters that idea with lively jazz that relies on a piano-drums-bass trio. The outfit originally consisted of pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson and drummer David King, but the three are currently collaborating with saxophonist Joshua Redman.
Iverson, Anderson and King have been playing together since the late 1980s and officially founded The Bad Plus in 2000. Their most recent studio release as a trio is “Inevitable Western,” which came out in 2014.
Redman, who is also the artistic director of Wigmore Hall’s jazz series in London, started playing the saxophone at age 10 and released his first album in 1993. Since then, he has put out a series of independent and collaborative albums. Redman has previously come to campus, last playing at the Hopkins Center in 1999
Redman started playing shows with the band in 2011, and they continued to play shows together over the next few years and began studio recording for the album in 2014. The quartet put out an album called “The Bad Plus Joshua Redman” in 2015 on the Nonesuch label.
Members of The Bad Plus were unable to comment due to some members’ having unexpected family emergencies on short notice.
“The Bad Plus Joshua Redman” is generating interest from students because of the band’s energetic sounds and varied influences. Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble trumpet and flugelhorn player Kathryn Waychoff ’16 said that she enjoys how the band brings a sense of coolness to jazz.
“I’ve seen them live before,” she said. “They were one of the first jazz groups I saw. I saw them in 2010 at the Telluride Jazz Festival. They were phenomenal. They have a way of taking less melodic aspects of jazz and bringing a ton of energy to it. It makes them have cool factor of rock group. They are amazing performers all around. I’m a huge fan of them.”
Redman, a widely renowned saxophonist in his own right, has his own fans, such as Barbary Coast saxophonist and lead alto Erin Huffer ’17.
“Unfortunately, I’m not on campus this term, so I won’t be able to attend the concert,” Huffer said. “I’m completely jealous though — I’d love to see Joshua Redman in concert.”
Barbary Coast saxophonist Kimberly Hassel ’16 said that she enjoys how Redman plays the saxophone.
“He has a great sense of technique and style,” she said. “His improvisations are so fluid. As a saxophonist, it’s really interesting to listen to.”
She said that she enjoys that the band is more avant-garde than more traditional jazz bands, and that she likes the combination of The Bad Plus and Joshua Redman’s playing together.
Hassel said that she’s planning on attending the master class the group will be hosting and wants to attend the concert if her schedule allows.
The group is known for pushing the boundaries of jazz by using pop, blues, rock and folk inspired tunes.
“They are a ‘band’ that is rearranging ideas about their particular genres. Their members since their youth have been hoovering down every excellent groove in rock and R&B and using it in a creative, jazz context,” Hop publicity coordinator Rebecca Bailey said.
The quartet will be performing on tomorrow at 7 p.m. in the Spaulding Auditorium. Tickets will be $10 to $40 for students and $17 to $40 for community members. The group will also be hosting a free master class tomorrow at 4 p.m. in Faulkner Hall.
