On Sacred Ground

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For the past 10 years The Bad Plus – bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson, and percussionist David King— have created an uncompromising body of work by shattering musical convention. Rolling Stone calls their amalgam of jazz, pop, rock and avant garde “about as badass as highbrow gets,” while the New York Times says the band is “better than anyone at mixing the sensibilities of post-’60s jazz and indie rock.” Few jazz groups in recent memory have amassed such acclaim, and few have generated as much controversy while audaciously bucking musical trends. While the bulk of their output has been originals, they have famously deconstructed covers in the pop, rock, electronic, and classical idioms, including Igor Stravinsky’s “Variation d’Apollon” and works by Ligeti, Nirvana, Wilco and Pink Floyd.

“On Sacred Ground”, a reimagining of Stravinsky’s iconic orchestral work, is the trio’s most ambitious endeavor yet. Co-commissioned by Duke Performances and New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Bad Plus spent more than a year working on the project before its premiere at Duke University in March 2011. Not interested in using “The Rite of Spring” simply as a vehicle for improvisation, the trio engaged in a rigorous study of Stravinsky’s original composition before beginning to craft their own interpretation. As part of their rendition, the trio incorporates a multimedia presentation created by filmmakers Cristina Guadeloupe and Noah Hutton. The Bad Plus’ brilliant transformation proves that there are still vital musical lessons to be learned from the piece that caused a riot at its Paris premiere 100 years ago.

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On Sacred Ground: Stravinsky's Rite of Spring
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REVIEWS

The Bad Plus have succeeded in turning a monolithic 20th century ballet score into a 21st century masterpiece.
Jazz Police

Playing seriously but not being stuffy about it is part of the Bad Plus’s allure…“On On Sacred Ground: Stravinsky’s ‘Rite of Spring’’” was as psychedelic as it was lofty. Impressionistic films and mood-accentuating lighting enhanced the performance which itself ran from manic to mournful.
The Boston Globe

It was surprising how well three instruments could mimic a full orchestra, especially with some magic tricks on the bass by Reid Anderson, who can make it sound like a bass drum, clarinet or piano at will.
The Portland Press Herald