With influences ranging from Wayne Shorter to Levon Helm to J Dilla, The Worst Pop Band Ever is a Toronto-based quintet that combines a love of improvisational jazz and modern popular music. Despite their name, the band features award-winning musicians who have shared stages and/or recorded with such esteemed artists as Ernie Watts, Blue Rodeo, Sultans of Swing, Shuffle Demons, and Laila Biali. Whether it’s blending acoustic bass with turntables, or analog synths with a saxophone, WPBE sets out to twist both originals and covers, straddling genres and butting heads with expectation.