The Washington Performing Arts Society (WPAS) is presenting an exciting double bill of adventurous piano-based jazz this Sunday at Lisner Auditorium. Performing will be The Bad Plus (pictured right) and pianist Jason Moran (pictured below), two acts who consistently refuse to be limited by traditional notions of what a jazz performance should or should not be. Moran and The Bad Plus have played together on the same bill before and, unsurprisingly, their common outside-the-box approach to jazz has lead to a strong mutual respect.

“We love those guys,” said Bad Plus bassist Reid Anderson. “They’re one of our favorite groups to perform with.” Moran agreed by saying, “It’ll be a nice reunion.”

The Bad Plus, comprised of Anderson, drummer Dave King, and pianist Ethan Iverson, has made its mark by being one of the most eclectic groups out there and they have achieved a level of success outside the mainstream jazz market that is uncommon for a typical acoustic trio. One reason for this is their willingness to embrace material at which traditionalists would look down their nose. Their albums place unique interpretations of contemporary rock and pop tunes, such as Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Black Sabbath’s “Ironman,” and Rush’s “Tom Sawyer,” along side original tunes that range from straight-ahead swingers to free-form explorations.

“Our music is made with an inclusive energy,” said Anderson. “We don’t try to deny ourselves and where we’re coming from, and we don’t try to fit what we do into a certain category.”