Fred Hersch
Encyclopedia
Fred Hersch is a contemporary American
jazz
pianist
who has become a consistent and highly demanded performer on the international jazz scene.
Hersch began playing piano at a very young age, growing up in the North Avondale neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, attending Walnut Hills High School. He also had an early interest in mandolin. By age 12, Fred had written his first symphony. He studied at Grinnell College
in the mid 1970s and began playing in jazz clubs in Cincinnati. He later graduated from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston
. His teachers included Sophia Rosoff
. He moved to New York City
in the late 1970s where he soon found a place playing with artists including Stan Getz
, Joe Henderson
, Lee Konitz
, Art Farmer
, and Charlie Haden
.
Hersch soon began recording his own records and composing music. Like a number of jazz pianists who have come of age over the past 20 years, he is strongly influenced by the work of Bill Evans
, though Hersch has also been at pains to distance himself from Evans' influence. Although Hersch has played in a number of different instrumental combinations, he also plays as a solo performer, and many of his albums—such as Live at the Bimhuis (2005)--are solo recitals. In 2006 he was invited by club owner Lorraine Gordon to perform the first-ever solo piano booking at the legendary Village Vanguard
jazz club in New York City.
Hersch's also works as a vocal accompanist and has recently recorded duo work with Jay Clayton
, Nancy King, and Karin Oberlin.
In 1986 he was diagnosed with HIV
. Since then, Hersch has campaigned and performed for several AIDS
-related charities and causes. Along with Gary Burton
and Andy Bey
, Hersch is one of the few openly gay jazz musicians.
He is also a music educator, having taught at the New School University, Manhattan School of Music
, Western Michigan University
, and his alma mater, the New England Conservatory.
In February 2010, he was interviewed by Linus Wyrsch on The Jazz Hole for BreakThru Radio.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist
Pianist
A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
who has become a consistent and highly demanded performer on the international jazz scene.
Hersch began playing piano at a very young age, growing up in the North Avondale neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, attending Walnut Hills High School. He also had an early interest in mandolin. By age 12, Fred had written his first symphony. He studied at Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
in the mid 1970s and began playing in jazz clubs in Cincinnati. He later graduated from New England Conservatory of Music in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. His teachers included Sophia Rosoff
Sophia Rosoff
Sophia Rosoff is an American pianist and educator, and a founder of the Abby Whiteside Foundation.She was a co-editor of the reprinted collection of Abby Whiteside's writings, along with Joseph Prostakoff....
. He moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in the late 1970s where he soon found a place playing with artists including Stan Getz
Stan Getz
Stanley Getz was an American jazz saxophone player. Getz was known as "The Sound" because of his warm, lyrical tone, his prime influence being the wispy, mellow timbre of his idol, Lester Young. Coming to prominence in the late 1940s with Woody Herman's big band, Getz is described by critic Scott...
, Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson
Joe Henderson was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. In a career spanning more than forty years Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day and recorded for several prominent labels, including Blue Note.-Early life:From a very large family with five sisters and nine...
, Lee Konitz
Lee Konitz
Lee Konitz is an American jazz composer and alto saxophonist born in Chicago, Illinois.Generally considered one of the driving forces of Cool Jazz, Konitz has also performed successfully in bebop and avant-garde settings...
, Art Farmer
Art Farmer
Arthur Stewart "Art" Farmer was an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player. He also played flumpet, a trumpet/flugelhorn combination designed for him by David Monette. His identical twin brother, Addison Farmer Arthur Stewart "Art" Farmer (August 21, 1928, Council Bluffs, Iowa –...
, and Charlie Haden
Charlie Haden
Charles Edward Haden is an American jazz musician. He is a double bassist, probably best known for his long association with saxophonist Ornette Coleman...
.
Hersch soon began recording his own records and composing music. Like a number of jazz pianists who have come of age over the past 20 years, he is strongly influenced by the work of Bill Evans
Bill Evans
William John Evans, known as Bill Evans was an American jazz pianist. His use of impressionist harmony, inventive interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, and trademark rhythmically independent, "singing" melodic lines influenced a generation of pianists including: Chick Corea, Herbie...
, though Hersch has also been at pains to distance himself from Evans' influence. Although Hersch has played in a number of different instrumental combinations, he also plays as a solo performer, and many of his albums—such as Live at the Bimhuis (2005)--are solo recitals. In 2006 he was invited by club owner Lorraine Gordon to perform the first-ever solo piano booking at the legendary Village Vanguard
Village Vanguard
The Village Vanguard is a jazz club located at in Greenwich Village, New York City. The club was opened on February 22, 1935, by Max Gordon. At first, it also featured other forms of music such as folk music and beat poetry, but it switched to an all-jazz format in 1957.-History:Over 100 jazz...
jazz club in New York City.
Hersch's also works as a vocal accompanist and has recently recorded duo work with Jay Clayton
Jay Clayton
Jay Clayton is an internationally acclaimed avant-garde vocalist and jazz educator.- Early years :...
, Nancy King, and Karin Oberlin.
In 1986 he was diagnosed with HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
. Since then, Hersch has campaigned and performed for several AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
-related charities and causes. Along with Gary Burton
Gary Burton
Gary Burton is an American jazz vibraphonist.A true original on the vibraphone, Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the usual two-mallets. This approach caused Burton to be heralded as an innovator and his sound and technique are widely imitated...
and Andy Bey
Andy Bey
Andrew W. Bey is a jazz singer and pianist.Bey has a wide vocal range, with his four octave baritone voice.He worked on a television show, Startime, with Connie Francis and sang for Louis Jordan....
, Hersch is one of the few openly gay jazz musicians.
He is also a music educator, having taught at the New School University, Manhattan School of Music
Manhattan School of Music
The Manhattan School of Music is a major music conservatory located on the Upper West Side of New York City. The school offers degrees on the bachelors, masters, and doctoral levels in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition...
, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
, and his alma mater, the New England Conservatory.
In February 2010, he was interviewed by Linus Wyrsch on The Jazz Hole for BreakThru Radio.
As leader
- Horizons (1984)
- Sarabande (1986)
- E.T.C. (1988)
- Heartsongs (1989)
- The French Collection (1989)
- Short Stories (1989) with Janis Siegel
- Evanessence: A Tribute to Bill Evans (1990)
- Forward Motion (1991)
- Red Square Blue: Jazz Impressions of Russian Composers (1992)
- Dancing in the DarkDancing in the Dark-In film:*Dancing in the Dark , a 1949 film based on a play by Howard Dietz*Dancing in the Dark , a 1986 film by Anthony Kramreither*"Dancing in the Dark", an episode of The Golden Girls, which first aired in 1989...
(1992) - Live at Maybeck Recital Hall, Vol. 31 (1993)
- The Fred Hersch Trio Plays (1994)
- I Never Told You: Fred Hersch Plays Johnny Mandel (1994)
- Point in Time (1995)
- Plays Billy Strayhorn (1995)
- Beautiful Love (1995) with Jay Clayton
- Slow Hot Wind (1995) with Janis Siegel
- Passion Flower (1996)
- Plays Rodgers & Hammerstein (1996)
- Thelonious (1997)
- The Duo Album (1997)
- Thirteen Ways (1997)
- Songs We Know (1998) with Bill FrisellBill FrisellWilliam Richard "Bill" Frisell is an American guitarist and composer.One of the leading guitarists in jazz since the late 1980s, Frisell's eclectic music touches on progressive folk, classical music, country music, noise and more...
- Let Yourself Go: Live at Jordan Hall (1999)
- Focus (2000) with Michael Moore and Gerry Hemingway
- Songs without Words (2002)
- Live at the Village Vanguard (2003)
- Songs and Lullabies (2003) with Norma Winstone and Gary BurtonGary BurtonGary Burton is an American jazz vibraphonist.A true original on the vibraphone, Burton developed a pianistic style of four-mallet technique as an alternative to the usual two-mallets. This approach caused Burton to be heralded as an innovator and his sound and technique are widely imitated...
- Fred Hersch Trio + 2 (2004) with Ralph Alessi and Tony MalabyTony MalabyTony Malaby is a post-bop jazz tenor saxophonist. Malaby moved to New York City in 1995 and has played with several notable jazz groups, including Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra, Paul Motian’s Electric Bebop Band, Mark Helias’s Open Loose, Fred Hersch’s Trio + 2 and Walt Whitman...
- Leaves of Grass (2005)
- Live at the Bimhuis (2005)
- Fred Hersch Trio Night and the Music (2007)
- Concert Music 2001-2006 (2007)
- Fred Hersch Pocket Orchestra: Live at Jazz Standard (2009)
As sideman
With Billy HarperBilly Harper
Billy Harper is a Jazz saxophonist, "one of a generation of Coltrane-influenced tenor saxophonists" with a distinctively stern, hard-as-nails sound on his instrument.-Biography:...
- Billy Harper Quintet in EuropeBilly Harper Quintet in EuropeBilly Harper Quitet in Europe is an album by American jazz saxophonist Billy Harper recorded in 1979 for the Italian Soul Note label. The album was the first release for the record label.-Reception:...
(Soul Note, 1979)