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Ok, ok, I know this isn't an Austin show. But it's the Bad Plus after all. ;)
DA CAMERA’S JAZZ SEASON CONTINUES WITH CATEGORY-DEFYING PIANO TRIO THE BAD PLUS“Better than anyone at mixing the sensibilities of post-60’s jazz and indie rock.” -The New York Times High res photos available at: http://www.imnworld.com/thebadplus Houston, TX, November 7, 2008 – Da Camera of Houston continues its 2008/2009 jazz series with the category-defying piano trio The Bad Plus on Saturday, February 7, 2009 at 8:00 PM in the Cullen Theater, Wortham Theater Center. The Bad Plus is a collective made up of bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson and drummer David King. All three are from the Midwest and they have known each other since their teens. Nonetheless, with the exception of one unimpressive meeting in 1990, it is only after spending their formative 20’s apart -- King as a session player in Los Angeles, Iverson as the musical director for the prestigious Mark Morris Dance Group, Anderson as a prominent up-and-coming player on the New York jazz scene -- that they reunited in late 2000 to play a weekend club date in Minneapolis. The chemistry was immediate and obvious. They planned a second gig and a one-day recording session for the independent jazz label Fresh Sound and The Bad Plus was born. On this same first gig, the nascent group played their first rock cover, Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Thus began The Bad Plus trademark of complementing original repertoire with their takes on mainstream pop “standards” including ABBA, Black Sabbath, the Bee Gees, Queen, Blondie, Aphex Twin, Neil Young and Björk. “Playing covers never has been a gimmick,” says King. “It starts as a tune we like. We don’t believe music has to end with Cole Porter and George Gershwin. Arranging and playing covers sharpens our knives. Every one of them has its own flow, a very unique arrangement, and is approached with a different palette.” While the covers helped to spread their reputation, they comprise less than 20 percent of the band’s live repertoire. Anderson, Iverson and King are all composers in their own right, each boasting a distinctive style. Iverson’s music is the more intellectual and complex, Anderson’s the more melodic and romantic, and King’s the more rhythmic and surreal. Da Camera’s Jazz Series continues with the Roy Hargrove Quintet on March 21 and the Dafnis Prieto Sextet on April 3, 2009. Tickets for The Bad Plus are $30, $40 and $50 and available by contacting Da Camera, 1427 Branard, at 713-524-5050 or online at www.dacamera.com. Tickets for students, teachers and senior citizens are always half-price. There are discounts for groups of 10 or more. --30-- Da Camera of Houston’s concerts feature small ensembles performing chamber music, jazz, early music and contemporary music. A vital institution in the world of chamber music, Da Camera is a source of innovative programming, notably Artistic Director Sarah Rothenberg’s programs connecting chamber music with literature and the visual arts. Da Camera is nationally acclaimed for provocative chamber music programming, as well as a jazz series with a unique balance between renowned performers and emerging artists.
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KLRU’s arts series InContext will tape a special performance by Austin’s "First Lady of Jazz," Pamela Hart. Hart has receivedn multiple Jazz Vocalist of the Year awards from the Austin Jazz Players and Critics Poll. Her sultry rendition of classic jazz standards and contemporary music have both audiences and critics raving. “Her warm, clear tones and meticulously controlled pitch carry an illusion of effortlessness” Tribeza Magazine.
Austin honors jazz trumpeter with "Jeff Lofton Day"
