The Bad Plus: On Sacred Ground

This week, The Checkout dedicates the hour to the recent world premiere by The Bad Plus of "On Sacred Ground: Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring" at Duke Performances. The genre-bending trio features bassist Reid Anderson, pianist Ethan Iverson, and drummer Dave King. Although ostensibly a jazz trio, the group is well-known for their expansive musical palate -- incorporating music from Blondie to Babbitt as its points of departure.

For this project, the group arranged Stravinsky's famously controversial piece, a cornerstone of 20th-century classical repertoire. But rather than take bits and pieces for improvised riffs, the group consciously chose to play the score, arranging the work for piano, bass and drums. The result is a fascinating take that is clearly The Rite, yet also identifiably The Bad Plus.

WBGO's Josh Jackson interviews Ethan Iverson, Reid Anderson, Dave King and music critic Steve Smith. Listen above to the whole show, or click below to hear the piece in its entirety:

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Photos by: Darryl Pitt

Recorded March 26, 2011 at Reynolds Theater in Durham, NC.
Ethan Iverson - piano
Reid Anderson - bass
Dave King - drums

Recorded by Luc Suer and Bradford Swanson
Mix by Bradford Swanson
Duke Performances Director: Aaron Greenwald
Thanks to Darryl Pitt and Thurston Briscoe

Studio Session: Captain Black Big Band

Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band perform four songs in a WBGO session for The Checkout.  Recorded April 21, 2011.

Set List:
Easy Now (Evans arr. Todd Marcus)
Captain Black (Evans arr. Todd Bashore)
Stardust (Hoagy Carmichael arr. Bashore)
Jena 6 (Evans arr. band)

Personnel:
Orrin Evans - composer, conductor, facilitator, piano on "Captain Black" and "Jena 6"

Todd Bashore - alto sax 1, conductor
Robert Landham - alto sax 2
Joel Frahm - tenor sax 1
Victor North - tenor sax 2
Mark Allen - baritone sax

Stafford Hunter - trombone
David Gibson - trombone
Ernest Stuart - trombone
Andy Hunter - trombone

Duane Eubanks - trumpet
Brian Kilpatrick - trumpet
Fabio Morgera - trumpet
David Weiss - trumpet

Neil Podgursky - piano on "Easy Now" & "Stardust"
Kenny Davis - bass
John Davis - drums

Producer and host: Josh Jackson
Recorded by Michael Downes
Assisted by Michael McGoff

The Checkout: April 19, 2011

The Checkout features interviews with trumpeter Shane Endsley, guitarist Anthony Wilson, and Igmar Thomas on G.U.R.U. Also, hear highlights from Martial Solal at the Village Vanguard. WBGO's Josh Jackson is your host.

Interview: Shane Endsley

WBGO's Josh Jackson talks to trumpeter Shane Endsley about his new recording, Then The Other (Low Electrical Records).

Interview: Anthony Wilson

WBGO's Josh Jackson talks to guitarist Anthony Wilson about his new recording, Campo Belo (Goat Hill Recordings).

GURU: A Jazz Thing

WBGO's Josh Jackson talks to trumpeter Igmar Thomas about the legacy of Keith Elam aka GURU.  Thomas and pianist Marc Cary lead the Revive Da Live Big Band in a celebration of GURU at Le Poisson Rouge.

The Checkout: April 12, 2011

The Checkout features a solo session with Alan Hampton, the Chris Morrissey Quartet at WBGO, and the gospel according to Don Byron. Josh Jackson is your host.

Don Byron: New Gospel Quintet

WBGO's Josh Jackson talks to Don Byron about Thomas A. Dorsey, gospel music, and the New Gospel Quintet.

Hear the New Gospel Quintet at Winter Jazz Fest 2011.

Don Byron NGQ: Live at Winter Jazz Fest

Don Byron's New Gospel Quintet featuring DK Dyson perform during the 2011 Winter Jazz Fest in New York.  Recorded January 8, 2011 at Le Poisson Rouge.

Don Byron - tenor saxophone and clarinet
DK Dyson - vocals
Geri Allen - piano
Brad Jones - electric bass
Pheeroan akLaff - drums and percussion

Set List:
Hide Me in Thy Bosom (Thomas A. Dorsey)
He's an On Time God (Dottie Peoples)

Producer: Josh Jackson
Mix: David Tallacksen
Assisted by Michael Downes

Studio Session: Alan Hampton

Jazz bassist and songwriter Alan Hampton performs a new original song and music from The Moving Sidewalk.  Recorded 3/29/11 at WBGO.

Personnel:
Alan Hampton - vocal/guitar, bass

Set List:
Oh My God
The Darker Things
Bass Improvisation

All compositions by Alan Hampton

Host and Producer: Josh Jackson
Recorded by Michael Downes