For more than three decades, Fred Hersch has resided at the apex of the jazz piano pantheon, both for his work as a composer, improviser, and much-in-demand collaborator, and as an artist best known for his performances as a soloist and with his long-running trios. With more than 50 albums to his credit as leader or co-leader, this seventeen-time Grammy-nominee has been the recipient of a boatload of awards and lavish praise. This 2003 Guggenheim Fellowship winner has been called “the most arrestingly innovative pianist in jazz over the last decade” by Vanity Fair, “an elegant force of musical invention” by The L.A. Times, and “a living legend” by The New Yorker.
On Saturday, July 26, Hersch brought his latest trio to the rustic Maverick Concert Hall in Hurley as a part of its Jazz at the Maverick concert series. What unfolded was a profound experience in sound and telepathic music-making, with the uniquely talented Hersch’s extrapolations being heightened by the superlative rhythm section of bassist Drew Gress and drummer Jochen Rueckert.
Much of the material played during the two hour-long sets came from Hersch’s two most recent albums recorded for Manfred Eicher’s renowned ECM Records – the 2024 solo album Silent, Listening, and 2025’s The Surrounding Green, a trio disc with bassist Gress and drummer Joey Baron. As with all ECM releases, Hersch’s latest discs feature brilliant song selection (a mix of standards and originals) and dazzling performances – with recording, mastering, and packaging that match the high-quality music contained within.
The Fred Hersch Trio navigated a variety of moods, with serene ballads, followed by hard swing. The evening’s opener, a cover of trumpeter Kenny Wheeler’s “Everybody’s Song But My Own,” began with a rhythmic pulse akin to Morse Code before transitioning to up-tempo swing featuring a virtuoso solo from bassist Gress. The band’s rendition of “The Surrounding Green” commenced with a solo from Hersch, a mix of impressionistic chording of a Debussy tenor, something which complemented the night song of birds that came with the arrival of dusk at the Maverick. On this and many songs, including their fantastic cover of Jimmy Webb’s “Wichita Lineman,” drummer Rueckert played with admirable restraint, with a hush-wisp of his brushes on cymbals and drums. Bassist Gress’s solo on this tune was again representative of his work all evening, with forays that showcased his first-class virtuosity while never undermining the melody.
The first set ended with one of several covers of tunes by Ornette Coleman, “Forerunner,” from the free jazz pioneers’ 1960 genre-defining album, Change of the Century. Coleman’s melodies would return for one of the highlights on the night, a lengthy mash-up of his classic “Lonely Woman” and Miles Davis’ “Nardis.”
Like the great Bill Evans, Hersch is a balladeer of the highest order, someone who can have you choking back tears with his tender manipulation of the ivories. His masterful melodic improvisation on the Benny Carter classic, “This Is Always,” and the aforementioned “Wichita Lineman” provided more than ample evidence.
While the circa-1916 hand-built Maverick is best known for its classical and chamber music concerts, jazz is an increasingly important part of its summer offerings. Two upcoming shows of note will feature a solo piano outing by Woodstock jazz drumming great Jack DeJohnette on September 13 and a Django Reinhardt/Gypsy Jazz salute from up-and-coming Finnish guitarist Olli Soikkelli and his Trio on September 6. For information, visit https://maverickconcerts.org/2025-schedule/
Concert Photo Credit: Melissa Cino, Maverick Concerts
Comments are closed.