Bad Jazz, All Good
Last week, while saxophonist David Sanchez was blowing his last set at the Dakota Bar in St. Paul, a copy of the March issue of JazzTimes was being passed around the back bar. The teaser above the magazine’s flag read, “The Bad Plus: The Best Trio You’ve Never Heard.” In the piece on the inside, Stuart Nicholson opines that The Bad Plus’s first major label CD, “These are the Vistas,” is one of the most important jazz recordings of the last decade.
Dakota proprietor Lowell Pickett was beaming about the buzz for two reasons: the band is coming to the club in early April (and, judging by the crowd at the Sanchez show, the place could use the ticket sales), and all three members of the trio—pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson, and drummer Dave King--are originally from the area. King, who City Pages named Best Jazz Artist in 2002, also plays for locally based jazz group Happy Apple, and gigs with a host of rock bands.
The rave in Jazz Times is one of dozens. Reviews in the London Times, Rolling Stone, the New York Times, Newsweek, and a whole host of other have pimped the Columbia Release (produced by Tchad Blake), for its crossover appeal to indie rock and hip hop scene.
This week the group is in France. Here’s hoping they can drop some good vibes while they’re over there—remind the frogs we’re not all bent on bullying the world.
10:33:51 AM 
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