THE BAD PLUS | LAKECIA BENJAMIN quartet

Set 1
THE BAD PLUS featuring CHRIS POTTER & CRAIG TABORN
"Playing The Keith Jarrett's American Quartet Songbook"

Chirs Potter tenor sax
Craig Taborn piano
Reid Anderson double bass
Dave King drums

Since their appearance on the scene at the dawn of the third millennium, the Bad Plus have established themselves as one of the indispensable groups in the sound economy of overseas jazz. For years the band stuck to the formula of the piano jazz trio, with Ethan Iverson at the piano, later replaced by fellow instrumentalist Orrin Evans, and then moved to a four-piece configuration, with the addition of saxophonist Chris Speed and guitarist Ben Monder alongside the two founding members, namely bassist Reid Anderson and drummer Dave King, Bad Plus present themselves at Bergamo Jazz with a new, special line-up. Flanking Anderson and King are tenor saxophonist Chris Potter and pianist Craig Taborn, two giants of contemporary jazz in their respective instrumental specificities. What is special about the group is that it was formed and cemented around the compositions written by Keith Jarrett for his American quartet of the 1970s, the one with Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden and Paul Motian. For Reid Anderson, Dave King, Chris Potter and Craig Taborn, the music of Jarrett's American Quartet was more than just a source of inspiration: the innovative fusion of swing, folk melodies and more, including the lesson of Ornette Coleman, with the great improvisational freedom of that line-up, left an indelible mark on an entire generation of jazz musicians who seek to balance formal structure and spontaneity, groove and exploration. The Bad Plus with Chris Potter and Craig Taborn revisit a repertoire with deep respect for the original material but with a fresh vision, capturing its energy while bringing their own distinctive voices to it.
Anderson and King, who together form a rhythm section of absolute excellence, have found in Chris Potter and his portentous tenor saxophone and in Craig Taborn, whose brilliance of touch places him at the pinnacle of pianism in recent decades, the ideal partners to create an ensemble in tune with the American Quartet's many expressive nuances.
This project is not simply a tribute, but a continuation of the spirit embodied by Jarrett, Redman, Haden and Motian, reaffirming their hereditary importance in today's jazz scene.

Set 2
LAKECIA BENJAMIN quartet

Lakecia Benjamin alto sax
tba piano
tba electric bass
tba drums

In 2023 she literally conquered the Bergamo Jazz audience with her contagious energy and now, on the wave of a new album, there’s a bet that Lakecia Benjamin will repeat that success. In the meantime, the New York saxophonist has taken home five Grammy Award nominations, a further boost to her growing international success.
Born and raised in the Washington Heights area, inhabited by a population of predominantly Dominican origin or descent, Lakecia Benjamin is no longer a promise but a vibrant reality of today's jazz imbued with the most authentic African-American cultural humus. «I grew up with hip-hop and radio playlists. Living in a Latin community, I also played merengue, salsa and bachata. Also because in the African American community you are encouraged to play all forms of black music," he recounted a few years ago. Her mentor was saxophonist Gary Bartz, who introduced her to the art of sax masters such as Charlie Parker, Jackie McLean and Coltrane. She went on to complete her apprenticeship playing with Clark Terry, Anita Baker, Count Basie Orchestra, Kool and The Gang, Macy Gray, The Roots, Stevie Wonder and many others.
In 2020 Lakecia Benjamin made her mark with the album Pursuance: The Coltranes, a heartfelt tribute to John and Alice Coltrane. Two years later, Phoenix was released, produced by drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and recorded with notable guests such as Dianne Reeves, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Patrice Rushen and Sonia Sanchez, as well as activist and writer Angela Davis. Coming in 2024 is Phoenix Reimagined (Live), with three new tracks including the title track with John Scofield on guitar, Randy Brecker on trumpet and Jeff “Tain” Watts on drums.
Says Lakecia Benjamin: «When I play I try to make sure that everyone is having fun, that they feel free to express whatever emotion they're feeling at the time. If I have to change or move to connect emotionally with my audience or touch them, I am open to all these options». Words that sound like a threat from which one cannot escape. And in a festival dedicated to Coltrane the presence of Lakecia Benjamin is essential.