Man, it certainly seems like I link to Do The Math quite a bit around here, but Ethan Iverson's latest post is a gem. Iverson gives a thoughtful and balanced dissection of an Oscar Peterson performance (complete with footnotes!), inspired by a criticism of Peterson by none other than Miles Davis. Fascinating stuff.
Over at Do The Math, Ethan Iverson has submitted a questionaire to a number of musicians. The results make for some fun reading. Check it out here.
Ethan Iverson, pianist of The Bad Plus, has a noteworthy blog called Do The Math. I thought his post from this past Tuesday (9/18), titled "Just The Facts", was especially interesting. Iverson (along with bandmates Reid Anderson and David King) respond to some common criticisms of The Bad Plus, mostly having to do with the rock and pop cover tunes that the group have (in)famously made a part of their repertory. It's a thought-provoking read that attempts to clear up what Iverson and company feel are some misperceptions about the band's intentions. There's also a long and surprising interview that Iverson conducted with Stanley Crouch earlier this year that's well worth searching out in the archives.
I've had mixed feelings about The Bad Plus myself - dug some of the music, some not so much - but I was genuinely impressed by their excellent performance at Cornell earlier this year, from which I came away with a newfound respect for this trio. The musicianship and humor of the band really came across in a live setting (drummer King is especially fun to watch) and there was also a subtlety that I hadn't heard as much on the recordings. Now, after perusing Do The Math, I think a conversation with Ethan Iverson would be a very enjoyable chat indeed.
