For more than two decades, The Bad Plus has occupied one of the most exhilarating corners of modern jazz.
The act blurs genre, where expectations dissolve, and music feel restless.” Now, after 26 years and 19 albums, The Bad Plus is preparing to close the book on its career.
Their farewell tour brings them back to Phoenix on Friday, Sept. 25, for The Band Plus’ final performance at the Musical Instrument Museum, a venue drummer Dave King calls one of the band’s most meaningful stops.
“I think this could be the fourth time The Bad Plus has played there,” King said.
“I’ve played there with Julian Lage and also with Leo Kottke. When I went through it the first time, I was just raving about it to people. This is literally worth the trip to Phoenix to see it and to experience it. I never have enough time to really take it all in.”
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The Bad Plus has always resisted easy categorization, as their music folds electric jazz into indie rock, prog, atmosphere and abstraction.
“We’re unique in modern jazz because we focus a lot of effort on the collective sound around a composition,” King said.
“It’s not like this individual virtuosi...