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Ethan Iverson

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Ethan Iverson is an American pianist, composer and music critic, born in Menomonie, Wisconsin, in 1973. He studied with Fred Hersch and Sophia Rosoff and was musical director of the Mark Morris Dance Group before forming the avant-garde jazz trio The Bad Plus with the bassist Reid Anderson and the drummer Dave King. In 2017 he left the group and was succeeded by Orrin Evans. He is affiliated with the New England Conservatory.

Music and breakthrough

After The Bad Plus his work moved in more directions. In 2017 he wrote Pepperland for the Mark Morris Dance Group, a score based on parts of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles, and led the band at the performances. In 2018 Temporary Kings appeared on ECM with the saxophonist Mark Turner, and in 2019 Common Practice with the trumpeter Tom Harrell, recorded at the Village Vanguard. In 2022 came his first record for Blue Note, Every Note Is True, with Larry Grenadier and Jack DeJohnette. In 2024 Technically Acceptable and Playfair Sonatas followed. He also played with Billy Hart, Lee Konitz, Paul Motian, Charlie Haden and Ron Carter.

Influence

Iverson also writes about music for, among others, The New Yorker and NPR, and publishes on his own Substack. He shows how a contemporary jazz musician knows the tradition of the piano trio and also plays with it, for example by turning popular music by the Beatles into dance music and by writing critically about jazz history.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to a track from Every Note Is True and notice how pianist, bassist and drummer follow each other as equals and together keep the trio's rhythm open.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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See also

Categories: Artists