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”!
Comments
3 responses to “Friday Tunes: The Bad Plus”
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
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.
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