The Purity of the Turf is kind of a "bucket list" moment for Ethan Iverson, who has always wanted to make a record with famous bassist Ron Carter. Iverson, pianist of the famous trio "The Bad Plus", chose drummer Nasheet Waits to fill out the trio, because Waits represents the avant-garde as well as swing. Criss Cross records are level playing field, with everyone recording in the same studio in a single day: Thus the sporting title, "The Purity of the Turf." The repertoire is mostly originals and jazz classics. A surprise highlight is the solo piano tribute to the late Paul Bley, "So Hard it Hurts" by Annett Peacock.
