The more I pushed myself to purely improvise in the moment and to leave what I knew

that I could pull off behind, I knew there would be a dramatic element.

And also I could find these other new spaces of either consciousness or music or whatever that was coming out.

Oh, wow. or whatever that was coming out.

This is Joe Wong. Welcome to the Trap Set, where each week we explore the lives of drummers.

I want to play something for you.

Okay. You're hearing Big Eater by the Bad Plus, featuring my guest, Dave King on drums. During his formative years in Minnesota, Dave's musical curiosity compelled him to seek out the obscure,

while still retaining a love for popular music.

This adventurousness is reflected in his playing, which illuminates the spiritual through line connecting

improvised music and punk rock.

Although he's best known for his association with the Bad Plus, Dave is also a member of Happy

Apple, a group he co-founded in 1996.

He's also worked with artists such as Greg Taborne, Chris Speed, and Hoosker Doos Greg Norton,

in addition to leading his own band, Dave King Trucking Company.

Dave has also been active in the world of comedy as the creator and co-producer of the

Bizarrely Great Web series, Rational Funk.

I spoke to Dave before a recent concert

at the Blue Whale in Los Angeles.

And now my conversation with Dave King.

My father was a, he worked for IBM, and he also in the mid-70s, he became a very liberal, democratic, state representative for a couple

of years.

So I remember in the 70s, helping drop campaign literature for him as a kid.

...