An evening with Ethan Iverson’s Benny Goodman Sextet and Playfair Sonata (with Carol McGonnell and the Orange Road Quartet). Noted jazz pianist and polymath Ethan Iverson (best known for his founding role in The Bad Plus) is now writing formal scores for classical players. Tonight he brings clarinet star Carol McGonnell and up-and-coming string quartet Orange Road to Saugerties for the world premiere of The Benny Goodman Sextet, a serious yet fun chamber work that draws on both classical and jazz influences. McGonnell and Iverson will also duo on Iverson’s Clarinet Sonata, one of six acclaimed Playfair Sonatas released last year.
In 2002 Ethan Iverson helped form The Bad Plus, a revolutionary and wildly successful avant-garde trio that The New York Times said was “Better than anyone at melding the sensibilities of post-60’s jazz and indie rock.”
Since leaving TBP, Iverson has released critically-acclaimed jazz albums on ECM and Blue Note, often accompanied by bona fide jazz stars such as Tom Harrell or Jack DeJohnette. Downbeat has called Iverson “A master of melody” while Hot House recently raved, “Known for his intellectual depth and adventurous musical spirit, Ethan Iverson has traversed the boundaries of jazz tradition while leaving an indelible mark on its evolution.”
After witnessing a 2024 concert of standards spontaneously chosen by the audience, Stereophile wrote, “Iverson is a natural, consistent crowd-pleaser. For his entire career, he has been finding ways to be accessible while pushing the envelope.” Iverson also has a long-standing relationship with the great modern dance choreographer Mark Morris and still holds down the piano chair in drum legend Billy Hart’s long-running quartet. On top of his activities as a pianist and composer, Iverson has an active career as a writer, publishing significant criticism in The Nation, JazzTimes, The New York Times, and the Culture Desk of The New Yorker, in addition to posting frequently on his Substack, Transitional Technology.