As I sit with the awestruck feeling that stayed with me after experiencing BADBADNOTGOOD’s explosive set at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall, I’m trying to find the words to describe it. It sounded like what outer space looks like- glowing, complex, vast. It was music so colorful and lively you could practically see it. BADBADNOTGOOD is the experimental jazz band every 19 year old music major wishes they were. With air tight grooves, layered dynamics, and incredible stage chemistry, BADBADNOTGOOD’s (BBNG) performance took the audience out of their bodies and into a dimension of sound they’d never ventured before. They created a musical experience that was simultaneously complexly confusing, and easy to vibe to. Jazz is an intimidating genre- it’s music mathematics. While BBNG is a jazz focused band at it’s core, their effortless blend of hip-hop indie electronica makes the complexity of their jazz compositions easy for audiences to groove to. Their genre-fluid performance gave the audience opportunities to both stand still in a hypnotic trance, and lose their body in the music.

The night began with the experimental jazz stylings of Junius Paul’s quartet. Taking the audience on a spiritual journey, this 4-piece ensemble of monster musicians took jazz to another galaxy. Scanning the countless percussive instruments, horns, and singing bowls scattered across the small stage, you could tell this performance would be unique. Beginning with an ethereal build of percussive sounds, bells, whistles, and claps, the quartet gradually transitioned from a long spacey intro, into a tangy jazz jam. As Junius Paul went to town on his beautiful upright bass, the keys player hit notes impossibly fast and fluid on the keyboard he carefully balanced on his lap while sitting in a folding chair. The trumpet player went in and out of tasty solos, trading off with the keys and bass. Driving the energy of the band was the drummer’s open handed jazz drumming holding the four piece’s battling melodies together. I hadn’t heard any of Junius Paul’s brilliant compositions prior to this show, but I can assume that I wasn’t the only one who looked him up on Spotify the next day. The audience was more than warmed up by this impressive group of seasoned musical masters.

After a 30 minute period of rest and musical digestion, the lights fell for the main event. Emerging from the black curtains, BBNG humbly took their positions on stage, heading straight into their first song. Starting off with an isolated drum beat, instruments layered to build a wall of sound that consumed the room in a hurricane of notes. They used dynamics to take the listener in and out of intricate jazz jams, creating pockets of air for the room to breathe before the next wave of solos. BBNG went into the synth driven jam “Speaking Gently” early on in the evening. From the opening melodic synth line, the audience immediately fell into the beat. Each song seemed to blend into the next- it felt like listening to a continuous album. The rise and fall of music intensity throughout their set created a story arch of sound, taking the audience on a musical journey through different time signatures, tones, and melodies.

BBNG’s catchy lead lines and danceable grooves were only half the intrigue of their set. The top notch musicianship of these young creators was impressively wonderful to watch. There were moments I found myself standing still, focusing on the fast hands of whoever was soloing.

Each member so effortlessly flowed in and out of lead lines, guiding the listener’s ear around the stage with every jam. The silent communication between the members of BBNG was incredible. Navigating unfolding jams with improvised solos and spontaneous twists and turns, the band never failed to bring the song back to the main groove- always resolving to a satisfying outro.

The night’s magic really took off when two additional horn players, including Chicago’s own Sen Morimoto, and a second drummer were called to the stage. With a 3-piece horn section and dueling drums, BBNG’s sound dug even deeper, scooping out and serving gooey, rich melodies. Sweat droplets and stank faces grew bigger with each song. As soft pink and blue light spilled over the stage, sound bounced off of the tall ceilings and dispersed into the crowd. Just in time for the last song, the disco ball descended from the darkness, illuminating the room with dancing spots of light. As the ensemble ventured into their final jam of the night, the intensity of their sound reached a climax. You could practically see the notes exit the bell of the trumpet and fly around the room. It was sensory overload in the best way.

Exiting Lincoln Hall and pouring out onto N Lincoln Avenue just after midnight, my ears rang with distant echoes of the trumpet and synth. The electricity of BBNG’s face melting jams left me in a total body high. As I watched happy, energized audience members leave the venue, merch in hand, it dawned on me how beautiful it all was. To see a crowd of college kids and young adults immersing themselves in jazz music was such an unexpected delight. It’s incredible to see how the blending of genres can appeal to such a wide array of music fans. BBNG no doubt has a unique sound- they’re taking contemporary jazz to a whole new level. Their passion for collaboration and openness to explore and experiment with unlikely pairings is what makes their music so unique and magical. So don’t let the word “jazz” scare you away from catching BADBADNOTGOOD the next time they’re in town. If you open your mind and body to this exciting blend of genres, you’ll be lost in the experience of their epic jams by the second song in their set.

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