THE BAD PLUS

The Bad Plus

Reid Anderson bass
David King drums
Chris Speed tenor saxophone
Ben Monder guitar

As part of their fall 2023 international tour, The Bad Plus are performing at The Jazz Station on Broadway in downtown Eugene. A breakout worldwide phenomenon when they appeared in the early 2000’s, the group has been together for over 20 years and played every major jazz venue and festival in the world multiple times.

The Bad Plus has won critical acclaim and a legion of fans worldwide with their unique sound and flair for live performance. They seek musical inspiration from all musical genres, having  recorded versions of songs by Nirvana, Blondie, Pink Floyd, Ornette Coleman, The Pixies, Rush, Tears For Fears, Neil Young, David Bowie, Yes, Interpol, Johnny Cash, The Bee Gees, Burt Bacharach, Cyndi Lauper and Black Sabbath, to name a few.

As founding member drummer Dave King puts it, “If it comes down to it and you had to put us in a category, we are most certainly part of the jazz canon. The new band—all of us come from an improvisational background. We have all played different types of jazz. But the influences—they push out the corners of what people think of as jazz.” These influences form the basis for King and bassist Reid Anderson’s original compositions, which are the backbone of TBP’s repertoire.

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MADELEINE PEYROUX

Every great musical project starts with a feeling that it’s time.

So it was, in 2004, for Madeleine Peyroux: “when I got around to making Careless Love it had been a good eight years since my first album.” Eight years—forever in the music world. Not long After Dreamland dropped in ’96, she had disappeared from the touring scene as well. Where had she been? What had she been doing, and why?

I was traveling a lot across America, rediscovering the country and re-identifying as an American. I was born here in the States but moved with my mother to live in Paris when I was young. I met family I never met before. I caught up on what was happening with the music here. It was all a culture shock for me. When I came back to New York to make that first album I was like a deer in the headlights. It was my first time in a studio, my first time back in America. Then 9/11 happened. Then George W. got re-elected. It was like the world was going crazy. After Dreamland I had signed with Sony and I was trying to make my second record. I was broke and I didn’t know what I was going to do next.

Self-reflection and spiritual sensitivity are assets to any musician in the process of starting a career, of establishing one’s musical identity and direction. They don’t, however, necessarily lock into the typical velocity of career-building. There were other things Peyroux had to handle. She underwent surgery on her vocal cords. She healed and worked with a vocal coach. As the ‘90s gave way to the first years of a new century, she continued to question the how and, significantly, the why of what she was doing. (Her choice of the Dylan Thomas quote below, from his 1946 poem “In my Craft and Sullen Art,” helps explain her creative motivation.)

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CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE’S NEW JAWN

Christian McBride is an eight-time GRAMMY Award winning bassist, composer, and bandleader. McBride is the Artistic Director of the historic Newport Jazz Festival, New Jersey Performing Arts center (NJPAC) and the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. Christian is also a respected educator and advocate as the Artistic Director of Jazz House KiDS, and the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Summer Sessions. In addition to consistent touring, McBride hosts NPR’s “Jazz Night in America” and “The Lowdown: Conversations With Christian” on SiriusXM. Whether behind the bass or away from it, Christian McBride is always of the music. From jazz, to R&B, pop/rock, hip-hop/neo-soul, to classical, he is a luminary with one hand ever reaching for new heights, and the other extended in fellowship—and perhaps the hint of a challenge—inviting us to join him.

Doors ~ 6:30pm

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VANESSA RUBIN

Set 1: 7:00 pm – 8:20 pm | Set 2: 9:00 pm – 10:20 pm – Sold Separately

Revered as both a torchbearer and a storyteller, jazz vocalist Vanessa Rubin possesses a voice hailed for crystalline clarity, hearth-like warmth, and playful lioness sass. The Cleveland native brings a wealth of diverse influences to her vocal performance from both the Trinidadian/Caribbean roots of her mother and traditional jazz by way of her Louisiana-born father. Additional homespun influences include the melodic bell tone clarity of a young Capital Records recording artist, Nancy Wilson, the fire of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, the sweet sounds of trumpeter Blue Mitchell as well as her love of the Motown Sound…especially girl groups like the Supremes.

Rubin’s passion for rich musical stories is evidenced throughout her eight albums thus far, plus numerous guest appearances. Highlights include the evocative “Voyager II” from the pen of Teri Thornton, “Inside a Silent Tear” written by Blossom Dearie, a refashioned waltz version of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps” lyricized by New York Voices, and an arrangement of “Superwoman” by Stevie Wonder inspired by the Ahmad Jamal recording of “Poinciana.” So while she has one foot planted in tradition – sticking close to timeless melodies and exquisite vocal forms – Rubin waxes adventurous, embracing stories lesser told while employing lessons of acclaimed storytellers in songs such as Carmen McRae, Shirley Horn, and Freddy Cole. “They mastered the art of believability, Rubin asserts. Additionally, Rubin continues to back her way into The Blues with an urgent appreciation for soulful mentors like Etta Jones and Irene Reid. Also among her current endeavors is highlighting and interpreting well-known, obscure, and new lyrical works of composer/arranger/pianist Tadd Dameron. “I hope to do for Tadd’s music what Carmen McRae did for Monk’s music,” Rubin explained.

Vanessa’s first gigs began around 1980 in small clubs around Cleveland, such as Tucker’s Place, Bob’s Toast of the Town, Lancer’s Steak House, Club Isabella, The Native Son, and The Teal Lounge. Some early band mates included Wynn Bibbs, Skip Gibson, saxophonist and arranger Willie Smith, Neal Creque, Matthew “Chink” Stevenson, and, later, the uniquely soulful organ quartet of The Blackshaw Brothers with Cecil Rucker on vibes. “We worked eight days a week all over Cleveland, catching the tail end of what was left over from the good old days,” Rubin recalls. After two years, Rubin was anxious to set her sights on New York, where she earnestly and humbly soaked up the tutelage of many veterans like Pharaoh Sanders, Frank Foster, and Barry Harris.

Rubin remains a favorite at jazz clubs and festivals in the US and abroad. Her work as a producer and educator/clinician with youth in communities and educational institutions worldwide is ongoing.

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TIERNEY SUTTON & RANDY BRECKER

“Blind Date” feat. Christian Jacob

“Ms. Sutton is a pure jazz spirit who respects a song. Even when going out on an improvisatory limb, she never lets its essence slip away.” – The New York Times “Brecker has the chops to play it cool or hot, laid-back or virtuosic.” – Downbeat

9-time Grammy-nominated vocalist Tierney Sutton and legendary multi-Grammy-winning trumpet master Randy Brecker share a stage for the very first time in an evening of spontaneous music-making. This special Tuesday night performance will also feature the illuminating pianist Christian Jacob.

Tierney Sutton – vocals | Randy Brecker – trumpet | Christian Jacob – piano

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