CD Review: Fred Hersch & esperanza spalding, "Alive at the Village Vanguard"

 

I am sure a lot of the readers of this blog are familar with Fred Hersch and esperanza spalding (stylized in all lower case at artist's request).  Both artists are acclaimed as two of the most inventive Jazz performers in music today.  Fred Hersch is the senior of this creative duo, but Fred never shows his musical age because he loves to keep reinventing himself.  He has released CDs as a single, duo, trio and with large bands and orchestras.  In my opinion, his work reinventing standards through his own emotional feelings puts him in a rare group of Jazz performers.  And yet, Fred can and does play all other genre of Jazz at the very top level of performance and style.  I would consider Fred Hersch as the Jazz renaissance man, never confined to any particular area of music.

Joining Fred on this CD "Alive At The Village Vanguard" is esperanza spalding.  While five-time Grammy Award-winner esperanza spalding is much younger than Fred Hersch in age, she is so talented that she performs at a similar creative and musical level as Fred.  On their new CD recorded live at the historic and internationally known Village Vanguard, both performers delight their Jazz audience with beautiful and creative performances that will become Jazz classics in future years.  These two spactacular musicians playing together is a wonderful treat for all Jazz lovers both young and old proving that Jazz at its finest level has no age barrier.  If it is good, it's good for everyone.  The chemistry between these two Jazz giants is very apparent to anyone listening to their CD.    And recording it live a the Villiage Vanguard is a super treat.  Fred offers, "This recording sounds like you're in the best seat in the Vanguard for a very live experience.  You can really feel the vitality of the room, of the audience, and of our interplay.  We decided on the word "Alive" for the album title as you can really feel the intimacy and energy of the performance."

esperanza spalding has this to say about partnering with Fred on this CD, "Playing with Fred feels like we're in a sandbox.  He takes his devotion to the music as serious as life and death, but once we start playing, it's just fun."  In turn, Fred offers this about esperanza, "I don't think anybody's heard esperanza sing like this.  She's a fearless vocalist, and is one of the biggest talents I know.  She's got a huge reach in her intellectual knowledge and is a big thinker in both her projects and in her outlook."

I selected two songs from this album for you to sample.  The first is a well-known Hersch composition with lyrics by Norma Winstone titled "A Wish".  The second song is their particular take on the Gershwin classic, "But Not For Me".  Both songs will highlight the creativity of both of these world class musicians.  

                                                                            "A Wish"

                                                                     "But Not For Me"

 PLAYERS:

Fred Hersch- Piano

esperanza spalding- Vocals 

PLAYLIST:

1. But Not For Me

2. Dream Of Monk

3. Little Suede Shoes

4. Girl Talk

5.Evidence

6. Some Other Time

7. Loro

8. A Wish

CD Review: Fred Hersch, "Songs From Home"

If you read my blog on a regular basis you know that Fred Hersch is one of my musical heroes.  He is amazing in any environment whether Solo, Big Band,  Piano Trio or other larger configurations.  His Solo recordings are gems!  Speaking of musical gems, Fred's latest solo offering adds to his list of gems!  The idea for his new CD, "Songs From Home" originated from his emotional reaction to our country's lockdown which we are all suffered through.  Fred spent most of the lockdown in his home in the Pennsylvania woods facing what he calls his "Loss of his identity".  Like most professional musicians, performing music becomes more than just their job, it overwhelms their entire identity to the point that a day without performing becomes a giant void.   

Fifteen-time Grammy nominee, Fred Hersch explains why he recorded this CD,  "In the beginning, I think it was a way for me to feel like I wasn't helpless.  I needed to remind myself that music will go on and I'll be able to continue playing the piano for people, even if it's in a new way".   Fred has recently celebrated his 65th birthday while in quarantine and selected a collection of songs he had fond memories of during his long career.  According to Hersch, "It's kind of a comfort food album with a little badass stuff in there too.  I didn't want to make an easy listening record, but I did want to play some music that would make people happy".  Mission accomplished,  "Songs From Home"  is a warm and wonderful example of Jazz interpretation that gives a new voice to some old standards and two Hersch originals.  It illustrates the wide depth of Hersch's musical mind with songs from composers Loewe, Webb, Porter, Mitchell, Ellington and Lennon/McCartney.     

Fred recorded this CD while playing on his 50-year old, seven-foot Steinway Model B inside his Pennsylvania home.  He shared these comments "Any solo record is essentially about the relationship between the pianist and the particular piano.  My 50-year Steinway does certain things extremely well and other things that are a bit more flawed.  Steinways all have personalities; they're very handmade items.  Rather than be frustrated the it wasn't a perfect piano, I embraced the flaws".  I suspect that the any piano Fred Hersch plays will become instantly a better piano!

I have attached two "YouTubes" for your listening pleasure.  The first one is Fred's renditions of the Beatles' song "When I'm Sixty-Four" in honor of what was his upcoming 65th birthday.  The second is Fred's straightforward  emotional rendering of Joni Mitchell's classic "All I Want".  

Thank you Fred Hersch for keeping your music alive for all of us!

PLAYLIST:

1.  Wouldn't It Be Loverly

2.  Wichita Lineman

3. After You've Gone

4. All I Want

5. Get Out Of Town

6. West Virginia Rose

7. The Water Is Wide

8. Sarabande

9. Consolation

10. Solitude

11. When I'm Sixty-Four 

                                                                "When I"m Sixty-Four"

                                                                             "All I Want"

            

CD Review: Fred Hersch & The WDR Big Band Release "Begin Again"

Fred Hersch continues to amaze me with the depth of his musical talents.   His solo recordings are masterful performances and his Piano trio work is possibly the best heard today.  But his talents don't stop there.  In Fred's lastest CD "Begin Again" he joins the wonderful WDR Big Band playing his compositions Arranged and Conducted by six-time Grammy winner, Vince Mendoza.  "Begin Again" contains some supurb compositions by Hersch and some wonderful performances by the members of WDR Big Band recently described by "DownBeat" as "One of Europe's finest large Jazz ensembles".  I find it impossible to determine what brings more to this CD, the magnificent compositions Hersch has written or the impeccable orchestrations Mendoza put together.  It really doesn't matter because this CD has music that needs to be heard by any Jazz lover.   The feel of the songs seem almost classical in nature and yet, they seamlessly provide space for talented solo opportunities from a group of musicians that include Alto Saxophonists Johan Horlen and Karolina Strassmayer, Tenor Sax player Paul Heller, Trumpeters Ruud Breuls and Andy Haderer, Tombonists Ludwig Nuss and Andy Hunter and Drummer Hans Dekker.  All these players are outstanding European Jazz players who were new to me, but Jazz is not limited by boundaries or language.  It  allows great musicians playing great music to be enjoyed by all!

Fred Hersch is one of the most respected Jazz musicians currently performing and is already one of the most influential in Jazz history.  Joining him in this project to provide arrangements, Vince Mendoza provides clear proof as to why he has had 33 Grammy nominations and 6 Grammy wins.  One might think that putting two musical giants together might have some issues but Hersch and Mendoza blend their talents perfectly to produce great music!

Playlist:
1. "Begin Again"
2. "Song Without Words #2"
3. "Havana"
4. "Out Someplace"
5. "Pastorale"
6. "Rain Waltz"
7. "The Big Easy"
8. "Forward Motion"
9. "The Orb"

Players:   
Fred Hersch- Piano and all Compositions and Arrangement for the "Orb"
Vince Mendoza- Arrangements and Orchestrations
The WDR Big Band:
    Alto Sax- Johan Horlen, Karolina Strassmayer
    Tenor Sax- Olivier Peters 
    Tenor Sax- Paul Heller
    Baritone Sax- Jens Neufang
    Trombone- Ludwig Nuss, Andrea Andreoli, Andy Hunter
    Bass Trombone/Tuba- Mattis Cederberg
    Trumpet- Wim Both, Rob Bruynen, Andy Haderer, Ruud Breuls
    Guitar- Paul Shigihara
    Bass- John Goldsby
    Drums- Hans Dekker

I have attached two "YouTubes" from this wonderful new CD that I guarantee will delight you.  The first is "Havana" that speaks well for the composing and playing talents of  Fred Hersch and the Arranging and Conducting unique skills of Vince Mendoza.

The second "YouTube" is "Rain Waltz" and it's also a brilliant combination of composing and arranging.  You might want to grab an umbrella because you may feel the rain.

CD Review: Fred Hersch "Solo"

I recently received a review copy of Fred Hersch's new CD, "Solo",  recorded live in a Catskill, NY church in 2014 as part of the Wyndham Chamber Music Festival.  This was my first experience listening to Fred Hersch, and I truly can say that his playing has had an emotional effect for me.  There are only 7 cuts on the CD but the songs Mr. Hersch has chosen to include are wonderful including two original compositions, cut# 3, "Pastorale" that Mr. Hersch wrote in honor of Robert Schumann and cut#4, "Whirl"written in honor of Ballet principal, Suzanne Farrell.

This CD is his 10th solo recording and according to Hersch "I firmly believe this may be the all-around best solo album I've ever done.  I liked the piano and the environment of playing in a small wooden church just big enough to get some reverberance".

Mr. Hersch has played with many Jazz greats like Phil Woods, George Shearing, Stan Getz, Joe Henderson, Billy Harper, Lee Konitz, Art Farmer, Gary Burton and Toots Thielemans.  He attributes his turn-on to Jazz to John Coltrane, Pharaoh Sanders, Miles Davis and Chick Corea.  At this stage in his career, he stands side by side with these greats.

There is nothing casual about Hersch's playing style and his Jazz composition.  It is studied and, yet, seems new and free and the construction of his solos capture the emotion of the songs he plays and puts new life into them.  If you love thoughtful, creative and new Jazz playing, Fred Hersch should be at the top of your favorites list.

          Playlist
1. "Olha Maria/O Grande Amor"- Jobim
2. "Caravan"- Tizol
3. "Pastorale- Hersch
4. "Whirl"- Hersch
5. "The Song Is You"- Kern
6. "In Walked Bud"- Monk
7. "Both Sides Now" Mitchell

I located a cut from the CD, Jerome Kern's magnificent classic, "The Song Is You" on "YouTube" that will let you experience the brilliance of Fred Hersch's Jazz Piano Style.