After more than a quarter century of reshaping the language of modern jazz, The Bad Plus have announced they will bring their career to a close in 2026. Founding members Reid Anderson and Dave King have confirmed the decision marks the end of one of the most distinctive and influential ensembles in improvised music, a band whose identity evolved across multiple lineups while maintaining a singular creative vision.
Formed in Minneapolis in 2000, The Bad Plus emerged from a long musical relationship between Anderson, King and pianist Ethan Iverson, who had first played together in 1989. From the outset, the group challenged orthodoxies, blending the elastic forms of avant garde jazz with the rhythmic force and cultural reach of rock and pop. Their earliest recordings, including their self titled debut and the breakthrough album These Are The Vistas, established a reputation for intensity, clarity and fearless reinterpretation.
Across their catalogue, The Bad Plus became known for recasting material by artists such as Nirvana, David Bowie, Black Sabbath and Blondie alongside original compositions that felt both formally rigorous and emotionally direct. This approach placed them at the centre of debates about what contemporary jazz could be, expanding audiences without diluting artistic intent. Over time, the band built a body of work that balanced compositional discipline with collective improvisation, earning long term respect across the jazz world.
The group’s history is defined by change as much as continuity. After a long run as a piano trio, Iverson departed at the end of 2017, with Orrin Evans stepping into the role in 2018.
That chapter concluded in 2021, when Evans left and Anderson and King elected to abandon the piano trio format altogether. The resulting lineup, featuring guitarist Ben Monder and saxophonist Chris Speed, transformed The Bad Plus into a quartet, opening new harmonic and textural possibilities. Albums including The Bad Plus and Complex Emotions reflected this shift, favouring expansive forms and darker tonal colours while retaining the band’s unmistakable rhythmic drive.
Now, Anderson and King have decided that the story has reached its natural conclusion. In a joint statement, they confirmed that 2026 will be the final year of The Bad Plus, describing the choice as the product of deep reflection and pride in what the band achieved over 26 years. Rather than fade quietly, they have opted for a final run of performances that underline both the present and the past of the project.
In keeping with the band’s history, the farewell will unfold through two distinct touring paths. The current incarnation of The Bad Plus will undertake a series of North American performances, allowing audiences to experience the quartet sound that has defined the most recent era. These shows include a multi night residency in St. Louis, a headline appearance in Columbia, Missouri, and a high profile slot at the Montréal Jazz Festival. Further dates are expected to be announced as the year progresses.
Alongside this, Anderson and King will reunite with pianist Craig Taborn and saxophonist Chris Potter for a special project centred on the music of Keith Jarrett’s American Quartet. Performing under the banner The Bad Plus Chris Potter And Craig Taborn, the group will explore repertoire associated with Jarrett, Dewey Redman, Charlie Haden and Paul Motian.
The project reflects a lineage that has always informed The Bad Plus, connecting their own exploratory instincts with a foundational chapter of modern jazz history. The tour begins in North America before moving through Europe and the UK, reinforcing the international reach the band cultivated over decades.
The decision to end The Bad Plus does not diminish its legacy. Few ensembles maintain a clear collective identity while embracing such structural change, and fewer still manage to remain culturally relevant across multiple generations of listeners. From major label releases to independent projects, from intimate clubs to leading festivals, The Bad Plus consistently asserted that jazz could be contemporary, challenging and connected to the wider musical world.
As the final year approaches, the focus turns to the music itself. These concluding tours offer a chance to reflect on a catalogue that refused complacency and a career defined by risk, discipline and curiosity. For Anderson and King, the closing chapter is less an ending than a summation, a final opportunity to share the work of a band that changed their lives and left a permanent mark on modern music.
The Bad Plus – Tour 2026
January
14 – St. Louis, MO – Jazz St. Louis
15 – St. Louis, MO – Jazz St. Louis
16 – St. Louis, MO – Jazz St. Louis (Early Show)
16 – St. Louis, MO – Jazz St. Louis (Late Show)
17 – St. Louis, MO – Jazz St. Louis (Early Show)
17 – St. Louis, MO – Jazz St. Louis (Late Show)
18 – St. Louis, MO – Jazz St. Louis
21 – Columbia, MO – The Blue Note
June
26 – Montréal, QC – Montréal Jazz Festival at Théâtre Jean-Duceppe
The Bad Plus Chris Potter And Craig Taborn – Tribute To Keith Jarrett’s American Quartet – Tour 2026
March
3 – Lexington, KY – Singletary Concert Hall
5 – Toronto, ON – Meridian Arts Centre: George Weston Recital Hall
6 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater
7 – Oakland, CA – Yoshi’s
8 – Oakland, CA – Yoshi’s
10 – Los Angeles, CA – Blue Note LA (Early Show)
10 – Los Angeles, CA – Blue Note LA (Late Show)
11 – Los Angeles, CA – Blue Note LA (Early Show)
11 – Los Angeles, CA – Blue Note LA (Late Show)
12 – La Jolla, CA – The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center
13 – Santa Fe, NM – The Lensic Performing Arts Center
21 – Bergamo, IT – Bergamo Jazz Festival at Auditorium Parco della Musica: Sala Sinopoli
23 – Roma, IT – Auditorium Parco della Musica
25 – Gdansk, PL – Jazzjantar
27 – Madrid, ES – Auditorio Nacional De Musica
28 – Paris, FR – Maison De La Radio Et De La Musique – Studio 104
29 – Monheim Am Rhein, DE – Aula Am Berliner Ring
30 – London, UK – Barbican
April
1 – Budapest, HU – Bartók Spring International Art Weeks @ RaM ArT Színház
3 – Leuven, BE – 30CC Leuven
4 – Heidelberg, DE – Enjoy Jazz @ Kulturhaus Karlstorbahnhof
5 – Stuttgart, DE – Theaterhaus Jazztage
7 – Barcelona, ES – L’Auditori
8 – Cenon, FR – Le Rocher De Palmer
9 – Utrecht, NL – TivoliVredenburg
10 – Amsterdam, NL – Muziekgebouw
11 – Cully, CH – Cully Jazz Festival
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