Ethan Iverson is coming home to Menomonie, and he’s bringing friends when The Bad Plus takes the stage Dec. 20 at the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts. The contemporary jazz trio includes the virtuosic pianist and his cohorts: Dave King (drums) and Reid Anderson (bass). Iverson was born and raised in Menomonie before leaving for New York City in 1991. There he studied with Fred Hersch and made a name for himself in the indie jazz scene, performing with dance companies, comedy shows, and his own projects. King grew up not far away in Minneapolis. He spent a few years in Los Angeles before moving back to his roots and co-founding Happy Apple, Halloween, Alaska, and Love-Cars. Anderson was part of the same scene as Iverson, enjoying success in the indie jazz section of the genre in the ’90s. Originally from Minnesota, he attended UW-Eau Claire and the Curtis Institute of Music. The trio officially formed in 2000, they’ve been releasing killer albums ever since, including their most recent, It’s Hard, last spring. The album has garnered national acclaim and pushes a fresh, free-flowing sound into the jazz genre with attacking drums, independent bass lines, and hauntingly melodic work from Iverson.

The Bad Plus • Tuesday, Dec. 20, 7:30pm • Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, 205 Main St. E, Menomonie • $23-25 • (715) 235-0001 • mabeltainter.org