Ethan Iverson and the Bad Plus at the Dakota

I knew I has to see this amazing band- the last performance in Minneapolis, their home turf with their original lineup.  Ethan is moving to New York, plans to work on his piano concerto.  Two brothers and their dad were in the same booth as me.  It is their longstanding tradition to buy a ticket to the Bad Plus concert at holiday time.  A "selfish present".  The one son worked at the Columbia Jazz station and once interviewed Dave on his radio show.  The biggest performer he had on the show. 

Dave King, Drums with his Dave King Trio - Also of The Bad Plus.

Live sketch of the Dave King Trio at the Dunsmore Room, Crooner's Lounge, 2016, pencil on vellum paper.

Dave King is from Minnesota, and is perhaps best known for his jazz group The Bad Plus - which has done covers of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and a version of the Rite of Spring by Stravinsky..  Their original pianist is moving to New York to pursue other things, and I went and saw their last show last Saturday at the Dacota Jazz Club.  4 other friends of mine happened to be there as well.  I did a live sketch of the pianist in black watercolor pencil, and then came home and did a painting based on that in gouache using only black and white.

I get a lot of inspiration and tips from James Gurney's excellent blog, GurneyJourney.blogspot.com