allaboutjazz.com
The gifted Ohio native Fred Hersch's love for jazz established him in New York as a sideman for saxophonists Stan Getz and Joe Henderson and flugelhornist Art Farmer, and then as solo artist who released a number of exceptional recordings, from Saraband (Sunnyside, 1986) to Stories Without Words (Nonesuch, 2001). But he was known to the non-jazz world as the heroic artist stricken with HIV, who miraculously emerged from a coma that threatened to silence his near supernatural skills. As his new, deep, dancing and durable disc shows, Hersch—backed by excellent support by drummer Eric McPherson and bassist Jon Herbert—delivers an inventive and evocative 10-track CD that represents the full-flowering of his pianistic and interpretive genius.
Hersch's touch is reminiscent of Bill Evans' and his pulse is similar to Ahmad Jamal's, and those attributes pulsate the Latinized opening track by Harry Warren, and the habanera motored "Mandevilla." Hersch's moving slow numbers show why he's one of the greatest balladeers of his generation; and his take on his mentor Jaki Byard's "Mrs. Parker of K.C." proves that he can play the blues with the best of them. The spirited title track, dedicated to ballerina Suzanne Ferrell, showcases Hersch's composition chops, which focus more on telling stories than technique for technique's sake.
