Post-modern jazz band The Bad Plus keep changing the jazz landscape.
The Bad Plus – Complex Emotions – Mack Avenue Music Group MAC1215LP Limited Edition Cobalt Vinyl, 43:48 ****1/2;
(Reid Anderson – acoustic bass, synthesizer; Dave King – drums, synthesizer; Ben Monder – guitar; Chris Speed – tenor saxophone)
Jazz has evolved significantly in the last 50 years. With the emergence of fusion, some electric instrumentation has been embraced. There are still many traditional acoustic ensembles, but bands want to experiment with sound. The Bad Plus started as a piano trio in Minneapolis and began recording in 2000. Their take on the genre included avant-garde, rock and pop. Covers usually associated in jazz circles with the Great American Songbook now included songs by Neil Young, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Johnny Cash, Radiohead and Queen. In 2021, the lineup consisted of founding members Reid Anderson (acoustic bass) and Dave King (drums) with Ben Monder (guitar) and Chris Speed (tenor saxophone).
In 2024, The Bad Plus released Complex Emotions for Mack Avenue Music Group on limited edition cobalt vinyl. Featuring eight original compositions, this album continues the legacy of complex, original jazz tracks. Side A opens with “Grid/Ocean” anchored by a slow hypnotic groove by Dave King. Anderson’s delicate bass is joined by Speed’s tenor saxophone to create a gossamer texture. Things change when Monder injects crisp guitar against the smoother aesthetics (with synthesizers), which builds intensity before the fade ending. “French Horns” has a gritty “alt-rock” essence with up tempo fusion riffs that showcase the jagged play by Monder. King’s timing balances ferocity and complementary polyrhythms. Monder’s “Casa Ben” is a hybrid of sonic intensity and palpable atmospheric resonance. Speed’s lyrical tonality is supported by the lockstep bass and drum. Monder’s glowing counterpoint and tonal dexterity has a transcendental feel. The quartet glows on “Carrier” with individual play that accentuates the ethereal mood but keeps the cohesive dynamics. The studio effects (especially on guitar) enhance the airy elements of the composition.
Picking up the pace, “Cupcakes One” is a straight ahead rocker which showcases the gritty play by Monder, most notably with Speed’s visceral lines . The sustained, propulsive tempo by Anderson and King bring a late 70’s/early 80’s punk rock vibe to their post-modern jazz statement. Bringing the heat down, “Tyrone’s Flamingo” is melodic and flows with seamless energy and syncopated timing. This is perhaps Speed’s strongest instrumental contribution with free-form intonation. Monder is more delicate here and underlying synthesizers embrace a tender context. In contrast, “Deep Water Sharks” is a wild array of syncopated rhythm and frenetic play on saxophone with tonal stretching. King’s muscular drumming is prominent. The finale (“Li Po”) is a dreamy quasi-menacing arrangement with avant-garde jazz shadings and motifs that intermingle passion and hushed elegance.
Whatever the genre classification for The Bad Plus, the group redefines the contours of jazz. The sound mix (Brett Bullion) is refreshingly crisp for this aggregate of instrumentation. Vinyl aficionados will appreciate the eye-popping vinyl and Jackson Pollock-inspired album cover.
The Bad Plus – Complex Emotion
TrackList:
Side A: Grid/Ocean; French Horns; Casa Ben; Carrier
Side B: Cupcakes One; Tyrone’s Flamingo; Deep Water Sharks; Li Po.
—Robbie Gerson
