In describing his upcoming gig at The Jazz Standard, where he will play a series of duets with five different partners, Fred Hersch says, "If there's no danger in the music, then there's something wrong. There's gotta be that surprise element." His former student Bruce Barth, himself a fine jazz pianist, agrees, " Part of the way he teaches, and his own approach to music, is basically to prepare yourself to go out on a limb and to play in the moment." I would add to those qualities the idea that Hersch's music is transparent. You can see into it - or hear into it, and you come away not only feeling that you have been privy to the creative, improvisational process, but quite taken by the intelligence of it all. He is very much a thinking musician, but is also rightly renowned for the emotional qualities that come through the music.

"A quiet, unassuming monster of a pianist." New York Magazine

Mr. Hersch, like other white pianists who play the occasional ballad - Brad Mehldau for one - is often - too often - compared to Bill Evans. The comparison obviously drives Mehldau to distraction, and I think it is inappropriate here as well. Although Hersch does have a "tribute" CD to Evans (see the discography below), he is to my ear anyway, closer to Billy Strayhorn in the emotional qualities of the music and to Tommy Flanagan or Hank Jones in the intelligence with which he plays. In some respects, he reminds me of Jimmy Rowles, not so much in the way the notes are played but in the overall feeling - I always feel that the tune has been illuminated, it's been explained to me.

His recent release on Nonesuch, "Songs without Words" is a remarkable collection, and would probably be one of my picks were I to be sent to the proverbial desert island with only a few CDs allowed. It consists of three parts, his own tunes, jazz standards, and Cole Porter songs. Much of the work is solo, but here it is mixed with occasional quintet, trio, and duo offerings that nicely illuminate the solo performances. This work has been appropriately enthusiastically reviewed, and is a remarkable summation

"Mr. Hersch has honed a solo piano concept second to none in jazz." Ben Ratliff The New York Times

of the art of piano playing by one of today's best musicians. Another Nonesuch release, "Let Yourself Go," a recording of a solo concert in Jordan Hall is also excellent, as are the tribute CDs to Evans, Strayhorn, and Monk. Hersch has an affinity for Monk, it seems and often starts recordings and performances with a Monk tune. We'll see if that happens in January. His Monk collection, also a solo effort, retains the Monkish qualities of the music - space, and rhythmic and harmonic surprise but adds a definite Hersch take on the tunes; you get Hersch's thoughts on Monk, not a remake of what Monk himself did.

Despite the large body of solo work, his current trio (with the excellent Drew Gress on bass and the simply astonishing Nasheet Waits on drums) is superb. Don't miss their Palmetto CD, Live at the Village Vanguard. It begins with Monk's Bemsha Swing and that tune alone is worth the price of this CD.

Mr. Hersch is a vigorous supporter of work on behalf of AIDS sufferers. He has produced and participated in a number of CDs that are available from Classical Action and Broadway Cares (http://www.classicalaction.org/home/). I particularly like "The Duo Album" which begins with a stunning duet with Gary Burton. There is also a solo piano collection (listed under Richard Rogers) that contains fine work by Hersch as well as Bill Charlap, Benny Green, Kenny Barron, Marion McPartland, and George Shearing.

Discography

This listing is incomplete, and focuses on work I have. I am missing some very highly regarded CDs including Mr. Hersch's contribution to the Live at Maybeck Hall series. For a complete listing see: http://www.fredhersch.com/discography.html

Dancing in the Dark (Chesky JD90) 1993

The Fred Hersch Trio (Drew gress, Tom Rainey) Plays... (Chesky JD116) 1994

Passion Flower Fred Hersch Plays Billy Strayhorn (Nonesuch 79395-2)

Evanessence (Evidence ECD 22204-2) 1998

Thelonious (Nonesuch 79456-2) 1998

Let Yourself Go (Nonesuch, 79558-2) 1999

Songs Without Words (Nonesuch79612-2) 2001

Live at the Village Vanguard (with Gress and Waits) (Palmetto PM 2088) 2002

Songs and Lullabies (with Norma Winstone and Gary Burton) (Sunnyside 1108) 2003

(Sunnyside puts out a lot of good stuff, by the way)

Through Classical Action:

The Duo Album (Classical Action 1002)

The Richard Rogers Centennial Album (RR2002) Various pianists

Where can you hear Fred Hersch in the near future?

At the Jazz Standard, NYC, December 9-14

Duets with:

Lee Konitz (asax) 12/9

John Hollenbeck (d), 12/10

Jane Ira Bloom (ssax), 12/11

Joe Lovano (tsax,ssax), 12/12

Kate McGarry (voc), 12/13

Kurt Elling (voc), 12/14

In January, 2004, you'll have to follow him to Spain and Italy. If you can't make those gigs, catch him at JazzNights 5, right here in Princeton on January 31!