REVIEW: The Bad Plus Honors "Sacred Ground" at the Loring

Wednesday May 25, 2011

from Jazz Police

Rite of Spring, Left of Center: The Bad Plus Honors “Sacred Ground” at the Loring

By Andrea Canter
May 23, 2011

One of the hallmarks of the Bad Plus is the equity of their long-standing collaboration. But the fact that there isn’t one star among the trio hardly means these musicians lack star power. Rather, it’s the merging of the three audacious talents that yields a supernova. And that galactic phenomenon never shined more brightly than in last night’s performance at the Loring Theater of “On Sacred Ground: The Rite of Spring.” Or on the set of original works that followed, proving that with TBP, there is no such thing as anti-climax.

In reconsidering Stravinsky’s legendary orchestral score as an acoustic trio venture, TBP revealed itself as a sustainable energy source. For 40 minutes, ranging from the most delicate whisperings to sudden ballistic uproars to impassioned swells, Ethan Iverson, Reid Anderson and Dave King brought together elements of all musics, all eras—their “Rite” is the penultimate cross-over. They neither abandoned Stravinsky nor their own penchant for reinterpretation in a 21st century, let-it-all-hang-out context. Whereas the first performance of “Rite” prompted riot and debate in 1913 Paris, no doubt this new “Rite” prompted viral conversation and dissection via Face Book and smart-phone in 2011 Minneapolis.

Yet, so spellbinding was the presentation last night that at least this reviewer finds words of little value in conveying the impact of the music. From the first notes, this was at once unlike any Bad Plus project to date and filled with Bad Plus signatures. Iverson’s introductory piano solo immediately focused all ears on the simple and haunting lines of melody, each note so carefully chosen to compliment the last and prompt the next, while effects from inside the piano (or beyond) suggested an old recording superimposed on the house concert grand. Anderson and King engaged in subtle experiments of a similar nature, disguising the build up to a sudden crash. It’s hard to replicate a string session with just piano, bass and drums, but TBP expanded its sound to a much larger ensemble, piano and bass often suggesting the harmonies of horns, the intensity of King’s drumming a sufficient drive train. As they moved through each segment, panels of light and projections of often-ambiguous images augmented (and at times distracted from) the music, a visual choreography designed by New York architect Cristina Guadalupe and filmmaker Noah Hutton.

Read the full article here

Super America	2:27	The Bad Plus
You Are	7:10	The Bad Plus

[+] open in new window

Watch what's on

Never Stop EPK

[+] open in new window

News Archive

IMN - International Music Network