Reviews that mention Fred Hersch
June 7, 2004
Fred Hersch Trio + 2
Palmetto Records PM 2099
Back in 1977, as a change of pace, pianist Bill Evans added saxophonists Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh to his trio of the time for CROSSCURRENTS, a Fantasy LP that amplified and enhanced his usual sounds.
Fred Hersch, who is arguably Evans’ heir in subtle inventiveness, does almost the same thing on this CD. The results are outstanding, giving an added robustness to the pianist’s compositions, which have a tendency to be overly fragile and prosaically mainstream in other situations. MORE
May 26, 2003
Chasing Paint
Arabesque AJ0158
ÉTIENNE BRUNET
White Light
al dante No #
Jackson Pollock was a fan of Dixieland Jazz. Moldy Figs may be aghast to hear that when they consider the swirls, whorls and astringent shapes of his paintings, but oddly enough the rule-breaking abstract expressionist was listening to Classic Jazz and Swing Music when he created his distinctive art works.
Truth is one thing, but when it comes to improvised music, Pollock’s work has always been identified with the most adventurous parts of modern jazz. Nowhere was this made clearer than in 1960, when his painting entitled “White Light” was used on the cover of FREE JAZZ, Ornette Coleman’s groundbreaking collective improvisation for double quartet. MORE
April 14, 2003
Live at the Village Vanguard
Palmetto PM 2088
GUIDO MANUSARDI TRIO
Sienna Concert
Splasc (H) CD H 519.2
Two takes on the contemporary jazz piano trio recorded in concert provide an object lesson in how early participants and younger re-inventors approach this genre of music, and what they do to make it their own.
Surprisingly, after listening to these discs it would appear that the old-timer has a slight edge. Working with a couple of other veterans, Italian pianist Guido Manusardi who was around for the modern style’s first flowering, brings a swinging liveliness to his program of standards and highlights from his longtime repertoire. MORE