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Fred Hersch Trio '97: Fred Hersch Trio '97 @ The Village Vanguard
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Pianist Fred Hersch paid some dues at the Village Vanguard, sitting in as a sideman there from 1979 on, playing with the bands of saxophonist Joe Henderson, trumpeter Art Farmer, alto sax man Lee Konitz, and bassist Ron Carter. But he waited until 1997 to make his debut as a leader. That debut was captured on tape, and surfaces now, years later, with the Fred Hersch Trio '97's @ The Village Vanguard.
Hersch's subsequent history as a leader at the Village Vanguard also runs deep, with Live At The Vanguard (Palmetto, 2003), Alive At The Vanguard (Palmetto, 2003), Sunday Night at The Vanguard (Palmetto, 2016) and a solo set, Alone At The Vanguard (Palmetto, 2011). All of these are exceptional piano jazz recordings. @ The Village Vanguard reveals how his trio artistry sounded back in the beginning.
Joined by bassist Drew Gress and Tom Raineyfine sidemen and leaders themselvesthis is the only outing that catches this early-career Hersch trio playing live, with a set that includes the group's takes on the standards ("Easy To Love," "My Funny Valentine," "You Don't Know What Love Is") and a batch of Hersch originals, including the sparkling and spritely "Evanessence," a nod to pianist Bill Evans, to whom Hersch, early on, was often compared.
Hersch's artistrylike that of Evan's (like that of most seasoned and dynamic artists)has taken on a remarkable depth and focus of vision over the years. And like Evans, it started at a stunningly high level with this particular trio, featured also on a pair of Chesky Records recordings, Dancing In The Dark (1993) and Plays (1994).
Hersch has always been a particularly nuanced and versatile pianistcapable of propulsive drive interspersed with breathtaking delicacy and pure, time-stopping beautydocumented at the very beginning of his trio recording work, with @ The Village Vanguard.
Hersch's subsequent history as a leader at the Village Vanguard also runs deep, with Live At The Vanguard (Palmetto, 2003), Alive At The Vanguard (Palmetto, 2003), Sunday Night at The Vanguard (Palmetto, 2016) and a solo set, Alone At The Vanguard (Palmetto, 2011). All of these are exceptional piano jazz recordings. @ The Village Vanguard reveals how his trio artistry sounded back in the beginning.
Joined by bassist Drew Gress and Tom Raineyfine sidemen and leaders themselvesthis is the only outing that catches this early-career Hersch trio playing live, with a set that includes the group's takes on the standards ("Easy To Love," "My Funny Valentine," "You Don't Know What Love Is") and a batch of Hersch originals, including the sparkling and spritely "Evanessence," a nod to pianist Bill Evans, to whom Hersch, early on, was often compared.
Hersch's artistrylike that of Evan's (like that of most seasoned and dynamic artists)has taken on a remarkable depth and focus of vision over the years. And like Evans, it started at a stunningly high level with this particular trio, featured also on a pair of Chesky Records recordings, Dancing In The Dark (1993) and Plays (1994).
Hersch has always been a particularly nuanced and versatile pianistcapable of propulsive drive interspersed with breathtaking delicacy and pure, time-stopping beautydocumented at the very beginning of his trio recording work, with @ The Village Vanguard.
Track Listing
Easy to Love; My Funny Valentine; Evanessence; Andrew John; I Wish I Knew; Swamp Thang; You Don't Know What Love Is.
Personnel
Fred Hersch
pianoFred Hersch: piano; Drew Gress: bass; Tom Rainey: drums.
Album information
Title: Fred Hersch Trio '97 @ The Village Vanguard | Year Released: 2018 | Record Label: Palmetto Records
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Fred Hersch Trio '97
CD/LP/Track Review
Dan McClenaghan
Fred Hersch Trio '97 @The Village Vanguard
Palmetto Records
Fred Hersch
Joe Henderson
Art Farmer
Lee Konitz
Ron Carter
Drew Gress
Tom Rainey
Bill Evans