Bean is a Montreal-based trio comprised of Marie-Claire Durand on piano, Joel Kerr on bass, and Mark Nelson on drums. The group was founded in September 2010 in order to fill the need for an exploratory artistic process of musical experimentation, focusing on free group improvisation, approaching and exploring music with a spirit of uninhibited spontaneity.

Although the instrumentation is the same as a classic jazz piano trio (piano, bass and drums), Bean is a democratic ensemble. In an attempt to distance themselves from the traditional jazz format of soloists with accompaniment, all three musicians are soloists and accompanists at all times, making group communication paramount.

Bean approaches each improvisation with a different conceptual constraint, resulting in varied and distinct soundscapes. In addition to group improvisations, the group interprets original compositions in the same aesthetic as its playful free improvisa...