These Are the Vistas | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | February 11, 2003 | |||
Recorded | Real World Studios, September 30, 2002 - October 5, 2002 | |||
Genre | Jazz | |||
Length | 52:28 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | Tchad Blake, The Bad Plus | |||
The Bad Plus chronology | ||||
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Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 81/100 [1] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Entertainment Weekly | A− [3] |
Pitchfork Media | (7.0/10) [4] |
Rolling Stone | [5] |
The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings | [6] |
These Are the Vistas was the second studio album released by the jazz trio The Bad Plus, and the band's first album for a major label (Columbia Records). The album was the listening public's first widespread opportunity to hear the band, which Jim Fusilli of the Wall Street Journal called a "jazz power trio with a rock-and-roll heart." [7] The album features several cover songs: Nirvana 's "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Blondie 's "Heart of Glass," and Aphex Twin 's "Flim". In November 2009, NPR's All Songs Considered selected the album as one of the 50 "most important" recordings of the decade. [8]
According to JazzTimes , producer-engineer Tchad Blake, "comes to [jazz] from the world of Los Lobos, Tom Waits and Pearl Jam" and "approaches These Are the Vistas with an ear for acoustic frictions. His firm but unobtrusive direction showcases the Bad Plus in a way that's somehow both huge-sounding and stripped-down." [9]
The Bad Plus is an American jazz quartet, formerly a trio, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, consisting of founding bassist Reid Anderson and drummer David King, as well as guitarist Ben Monder and tenor saxophonist Chris Speed.
David King is an American drummer from Minneapolis. He is known for being a founding member of the jazz groups The Bad Plus and Happy Apple although he is active in many other projects including free jazz collective Buffalo Collision with NYC "downtown" musicians Tim Berne and Hank Roberts and the electronic art/pop group Halloween, Alaska, as well as the noise/prog band The Gang Font with former Hüsker Dü bassist Greg Norton, and jazz quintet Dave King Trucking Company.
Suspicious Activity? is the fourth studio album by the American jazz band The Bad Plus. The band had previously garnered attention for covering well-known rock songs in an "acoustic power trio" style, but Suspicious Activity? includes only one cover version: the theme to the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire. Instead, the album focuses on the band's original music, including the track "O.G. ," which is a tribute to the legendary jazz drummer Elvin Jones.
Give is the third studio album released by The Bad Plus. It contains covers of Ornette Coleman's "Street Woman," The Pixies' "Velouria," and Black Sabbath's "Iron Man."
Reid Anderson is a bassist and composer from Minnesota. He is a member of The Bad Plus with drummer Dave King, saxophonist Chris Speed, and guitarist Ben Monder. The original lineup of The Bad Plus first played together in 1989 and formally established the band in 2000. Anderson attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music.
Ethan Iverson is a pianist, composer, and critic best known for his work in the avant-garde jazz trio The Bad Plus with bassist Reid Anderson and drummer Dave King.
Prog is the fifth studio album recorded by American jazz trio The Bad Plus. Like previous Bad Plus recordings, Prog features several covers including "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears, "Life on Mars?" by David Bowie, and "Tom Sawyer" by Rush. It was released on 8 May 2007 by Heads Up label to positive critical reception.
The Bad Plus is the eponymous first album released by The Bad Plus.
For All I Care is a studio album by American jazz trio The Bad Plus with Wendy Lewis on vocals. The album was released in Europe on October 20, 2008, by EmArcy and in the U.S. on February 3, 2009, by Heads Up. This is the first Bad Plus album to include a vocalist, as well as the first to feature no original songs. Although the Bad Plus are known for playing cover versions of rock songs, this is their first album with nothing but cover songs, including a few 20th-century classical pieces. David King explained to Star Tribune that the main inspiration for the record was the seminal 1963 album John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman. As he mentioned, "The band still played like it was the John Coltrane Quartet, with or without Hartman. That's what we really aimed for."
El Juicio (The Judgement) is an album by pianist Keith Jarrett recorded in 1971 and released in 1975. On four days in July and one in August 1971 Jarrett went into the Atlantic Recording Studios with his trio (Charlie Haden and Paul Motian) plus Dewey Redman on tenor saxophone and produced enough music for three albums The Mourning of a Star (released in 1971), El Juicio (The Judgement) and Birth (released in 1972). Accordingly, the 1971 sessions mark the emergence of what would be later called Jarrett's "American quartet."
Never Stop is the seventh studio album by American jazz trio The Bad Plus, released on September 14, 2010 by E1 Music label. This album is the first by the band to consist entirely of original compositions. The album consists of 10 original tracks written by bandmembers. A follow-up originals-only album, Never Stop II, was released in 2018.
Made Possible is a 2012 studio album by American jazz trio The Bad Plus released by E1 Music. It is the group's eighth studio album. Made Possible is the first album by The Bad Plus to feature electronic instruments.
Bill McHenry is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He is the leader of the Bill McHenry Quartet and has released over a dozen albums under his own name, in addition to collaborating on many more.
The Rite of Spring is a 2014 studio album by American jazz trio The Bad Plus. It is the group's ninth studio album. It is an interpretation of the Igor Stravinsky orchestral composition.
Inevitable Western is a 2014 album by jazz trio The Bad Plus. It is the group's tenth studio album and it only contains original compositions. The rear CD insert features a photo of "Big Tex", the marketing icon of the State Fair of Texas.
The Bad Plus Joshua Redman is a 2015 album by jazz trio The Bad Plus and saxophonist Joshua Redman. The album was generally positively received, achieving a Metacritic score of 84%.
It's Hard is a 2016 studio album by American jazz trio The Bad Plus released by Okeh Records label. It is the group's twelfth studio album, and contains only covers. Allmusic selected it as one of their Favorite Jazz Albums of 2016.
Never Stop II is the thirteenth studio album by American jazz trio The Bad Plus, released on January 19, 2018 by Legbreaker Records label.
Live at Smalls is a live album by American jazz pianist Ethan Iverson's quartet. The band consisted of Iverson on piano, Reid Anderson on double bass, Jeff Williams on drums, and Bill McHenry on tenor saxophone. The album was recorded on 8 February 2000 at Smalls Jazz Club in New York City and released in 2000 by Fresh Sound New Talent label.
Activate Infinity is an album by American jazz trio The Bad Plus that was released by Edition on October 25, 2019. The album contains eight original compositions written by band members.