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jediroller
* Dog in the Sand *
France
1718 Posts |
 Posted - 05/04/2004 : 07:01:17
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I'd never heard of them before, and I have no interest in promoting that record... I just thought I'd share the info. US jazz piano trio The Bad Plus cover "Velouria" on their second album Give. You can hear a 30 sec. clip here.
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Everything I say to you is gonna come out wrong anyway |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
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Broken Face
-= Forum Pistolero =-
USA
5155 Posts |
Posted - 09/15/2006 : 12:25:12
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Saw them last night - they covered Ornette Coleman, the Bee Gees and "Tom Sawyer" by Rush, among some great originals.
-Brian - http://bvsrant.blogspot.com |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 06/24/2007 : 11:37:49
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winnipegsun.com
Sat, June 23, 2007
A Prog-gy Picture
By DAVID SCHMEICHEL
Think jazz music is beyond your scope of understanding?
Then you've obviously never heard The Bad Plus, who over the course of their
near-decade-long history have delivered post-modern reworkings of classics by
Blondie, Black Sabbath, the Pixies and Nirvana.
The cover versions helped the trio draw attention with their major-label debut in
2003, and even though the strategy has horrified as many jazz fans as it's
delighted, their new album PROG is stacked with more than usual.
"We don't do it to be ironic," says bassist Reid Anderson, when it's pointed out
PROG has the most covers of any Bad Plus record so far. "We do it because these
are songs that we like, and songs that are relevant to us."
The approach tends to bring about respectful, remarkable results -- like the
impossibly fragile version of Tears For Fears' Everybody Wants to Rule the World
that crops up on PROG. But it's far from a revolutionary tactic -- lest we forget,
genre legend Miles Davis once scored a hit with a Cyndi Lauper tune.
"It has to be a song
where the melody can be
played and recognized,"
Anderson explains. "It
has to be a melody that
can be conveyed
instrumentally, and it has
to have an inherent
indestructible quality --
that's why we do a lot of
really anthemic songs, so
we can push them and
pull them to their limit."
On PROG, the trio also
covers Rush's Tom
Sawyer, which helps to
explain the album's title. Anderson says it refers to both progressive ideas and
prog-rock -- a musical form The Bad Plus feel a kinship with.
"Prog-rock really pushed the envelope of songwriting and creativity," he says. "The
thing about prog-rock that we identified with was the way the people who were
making that music would say, 'Now what can we do to expand on traditional forms
of songwriting, or push ourselves more conceptually?' "
The Bad Plus (pianist Ethan Iverson and drummer Dave King round out the roster)
still balance their albums and live show with originals, though they're not taken
seriously by purists.
"Definitely we've had a lot of slings and arrows from people with an elitist stance
on things," says Anderson. "But we believe jazz is something that comes up from
the ground ... and we would be dishonest to deny the influences in our own lives."
THE BAD PLUS
Where: Burton Cummings Theatre
When: Tonight
With: Joshua Redman Trio
Tickets: $35 @ Ticketmaster
DO THE MATH: Just the Facts.
But just because the non-original songs we play can't be called at a jam session isn't the reason
10 English critics think it's a joke. Why do they think it is a joke? There are two possible reasons:
A) The original music itself is a joke: in other words, Nirvana, Blondie, Aphex Twin, ABBA, Neil
Young, The Police, David Bowie, Burt Bacharach, Tears for Fears, Black Sabbath, Pixies,
Vangelis, Rush, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Radiohead, Bjork, The Bee Gees, and Interpol is just inferior
and not at the level of Tin Pan Alley, Broadway, and Hollywood. Implied is the phrase "rock is not
worthy of the jazz tradition."
B) The way we play the covers appears like parody or at least highly ironic.
Both are wrong.
It follows that if TBP loves these songs, we love playing them. As far as irony goes, let's dismiss
our versions of Nirvana, Bowie, Aphex Twin, and Pixies right now: there is nothing but respect in
our reworkings of them. But at least three of our covers could generate confusion: "Tom Sawyer,"
"Iron Man," and "(Theme from) Chariots of Fire." Until you hear us play those three pieces, it is fair
to think we are being totally ironic. |
Edited by - Carl on 09/19/2007 10:19:57 |
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Jazz trio The Bad Plus deliver too late for "Hey!"
