The Bad Plus is a piano trio; at least in acoustic instrumentation, it resembles the great trios of Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson and, in a more modern vernacular, Keith Jarrett. And if you listen for a while, you might even hear some homage paid to those masters, particularly modern day Jarrett. But let’s not get caught up in identifying their roots, for the Bad Plus is a totally original, daring, and –above all—increasingly sophisticated melding of high talent and hot combustion.

The Bad Plus (Wisconsin native Ethan Iverson and Twin Cities natives Reid Anderson and Dave King) should be well known to Twin Cities’ audiences after several appearances over the past three years. Whether through sheer luck or the pull of home, their March show at the Guthrie followed only a few months behind their four sold-out, whiz-bang shows at the Dakota in late December. These performances—along with many others from top talents at the Dakota, Artists Quarter and newer venues like Brilliant Corners and Rossi’s, help justify the brag that the best jazz outside (or is it alongside?) New York is right here in Minnesota.

The Bad Plus brings a surreal yet symphonic approach to an original and “borrowed” repertoire that features Iverson’s gorgeous, percussive piano, Anderson’s often-melodious, never laid back acoustic bass, and the incredible resume' of rhythm and sound from King’s drum menagerie, all united in the spirit of true collaboration.