Among the covers that The Bad Plus performed that night were CYNDI LAUPER’S "Time After Time", "Mandy"
by BARRY MANILOW, and "Maps" by the YEAH YEAH YEAHS--all from their latest album. Just as the trio tries to
keep the music unexpected, the treatment of these songs sometimes tries to defy the feeling intended by the
original version. Lauper's song does not provide the forward-pushing good feeling heard in the 80's. Instead,
their take pulls backward, creating hesitation and space. King's drumming intentionally feels disjointed, while
the piano work of ETHAN IVERSON repeats the well-known melody, but it’s the continued building of the harmony
over it that introduces dissonance.
Whether approaching a cover or their own originals, The Bad Plus spontaneously lays down every note in an
interesting and captivating way intended for the ears of an audience anxious for depth exploration. In Arden,
they achieved this with a set of music that felt like a musical journey into the creative ideas of this trio, and clearly
embraced by an audience asking for a double encore.
Incidentally, shortly after this performance, the band announced that Iverson would depart from the band at
year's end, marking the first disruption of the trio in their 17 years. Stepping in to complete the trio again will be
Philadelphia pianist ORRIN EVANS.