Jazz Town: Bad Plus, Joshua Redman will make a volatile mix at Gem

The Bad Plus is the jazz band that certain people love to hate. They can’t get past the trio’s rock band-style name, or the unconventional drumming, or the unconventional compositions, or the way the group embraces everything from pop music to Stravinsky.

But tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman doesn’t have a problem with them. A few years back he became one of the few people ever invited to jam with the close-knit Bad Plus. That one-off jam became a fairly regular thing. Now the four have made an album together and hit the road together. They’re coming to the Gem Theater on Saturday.

The Bad Plus has been working together steadily since 2000, but some people still refuse to think of them as a jazz band. Those people don’t hear the spontaneous interaction at the heart of even the band’s most scripted compositions.

But in Redman they’ve found a kindred spirit, a partner who engages with the compositions and opens improvisational pathways.

So what if certain people don’t respond? Together the foursome is having no trouble finding an audience. Saturday’s show has been officially sold out for at least a week.

Festival on the Vine

College, high school and middle school jazz students from around the region will be soaking up the atmosphere and polishing their craft this week in the 18th and Vine Jazz Festival, sponsored by Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley and the American Jazz Museum.

The education event, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, will feature student performances that are open to the public. The students will get to learn from the pros, including, on Saturday, Joshua Redman and The Bad Plus.

Noteworthy

▪ The world is still listening to jazz artists from the Kansas City region. Singer Deborah Brown and the University of Kansas Jazz Ensemble I, directed by Dan Gailey, have a prestigious gig Tuesday at New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center. Meanwhile, the University of Missouri-Kansas City reports that Bobby Watson will be part of an April 29 concert at the White House marking International Jazz Day, which is April 30.

▪ The People’s Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City, directed by Brad Cox, performs at 8:30 p.m. Sunday at The Ship, 1217 Union Ave.

▪ Singer Paula Saunders performs at the next concert on the KC Jazz Vespers series. The event is at 6 p.m. Sunday at the First Baptist Church of Kansas City, 100 W. Red Bridge Road.

▪ The next live performance/recording session for the “12th Street Jump” radio series salutes the music of Charles Mingus, with tenor saxophonist Steven Lambert as guest. It takes place at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand Blvd.

▪ The Blue Room, 1600 E. 18th St., has a Monday jam run by the Jazz Disciples at 7 p.m. Keyboardist Rich Hill and his band, featuring reed man Charles Perkins, perform at 7 p.m. Thursday. The Sons of Brasil celebrate their 25th year at 8:30 p.m. Friday. Pianist Charles Williams brings his Genre band in at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

▪ The Green Lady Lounge also has the Foundation 627 Big Band at 8:30 p.m. Sunday; jazz combos from the University of Missouri-Kansas City at 6 p.m. Monday; the group Dojo at 7 p.m. Tuesday; organist Ken Lovern’s OJT at 9 p.m. Wednesday; guitarist Matt Hopper’s trio at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, followed by saxophonist Brett Jackson’s quartet at 9 p.m.; guitarist Will Matthews’ group at 5:30 p.m. Friday, followed by guitarist Myles Gorham’s MG3 at 8:30 p.m. and organist Chris Hazelton’s Boogaloo 7 at 10 p.m.; and more from the UMKC combos at 5 p.m. Saturday, followed by OJT again at 9:30 p.m.

▪ The Art Factory, 5621 W. 135th St., Suite 2630, in Overland Park’s Prairiefire development, has guitarist Steve Gray’s trio at 7 p.m. Friday and bassist Bob Bowman’s trio, featuring Chicago pianist Jo Ann Daugherty and her drummer husband Ryan Bennett, at 7 p.m. Saturday.

▪ The jazz series at Johnson County Community College presents keyboardist Max Groove’s trio at noon Tuesday in the Polsky Theatre.

This story was originally published April 9, 2016 at 3:00 AM with the headline "Jazz Town: Bad Plus, Joshua Redman will make a volatile mix at Gem."