The addition of The Bad Plus to our blogroll got a positive review. Here they are, recorded by some guy in the back of the room with a hand-held camera, playing Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” (Here is the original, and here is Paul Anka.)
Usually I like my jazz a little less adulterated — and the Bad Plus have stirred up considerable controversy by mixing in frequent pop covers along with their straight-ahead tunes. But these guys are playful, intelligent, and infectious, as well as accomplished musicians. The blog is worth reading, too — here’s a thoughtful commentary on Barack Obama and discrimination in jazz. Besides, it’s named “Do the Math”!
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Nirvana rocks forever!
Here are two other interesting covers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui2a2KTx60s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcHNZVrxEts
I like when Tori Amos says “I feel stupid”
You probably know but just in case The Bad Plus will be in LA the first week of September:
http://www.thebadplus.com/tour_dates/default.htm
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:09 pm
The Bad Plus rocks! Glad to see you like those guys … I saw them in Minneapolis when I was visiting there over the holidays last year and it was an incredible show.
August 22nd, 2008 at 2:31 pm
The Bad Plus are indeed good. They sound like early MMW hooked up to an I.V. of highly concentrated Rock and Roll… at least that’s what I hear. I always thought jazz was the best music to do my math/science/engineering homework to. The Bad Plus were, for me, a great addition to that library and helped me get through Classical Mechanics!
-e