Fred Hersch Trio

“Singular among the trailblazers of their art, a largely unsung innovator of this borderless, individualistic jazz—a jazz for the 21st century.”—New York Times

Born in Cincinnati, jazz pianist and composer Fred Hersch is a true master of the keyboards, displaying an elegantly refined approach that, on the surface, almost seems understated and casual. But deeper listening reveals the command Hersch demonstrates, not only with his brilliant technical ability but also his compositional prowess, respect for his chosen material, and keen interplay with his accompanists, whom the Boston Globe called “one of the finest piano trios of our day.”

Hersch and company thoughtfully stretch and compress the pace and space of classic jazz repertoire, from composers such as Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, and Sonny Rollins to icons of the American Songbook like Cole Porter. And they stretch out on Hersch’s own superbly crafted originals as well, which the trio renders with sublime skill. Hersch’s influence has been widely felt on a new generation of jazz pianists, from former students Brad Mehldau and Ethan Iverson of the Bad Plus to his colleague Jason Moran, who notes “Fred at the piano is like LeBron James on the basketball court. He’s perfection.” An artist of unbounded imagination, ambition, and skill, Hersch is, as Downbeat magazine aptly declared, “one of the small handful of brilliant musicians of his generation.” Don’t miss this remarkable pianist and trio as they light up our intimate Performance Space.

Presented by the Wexner Center in conjunction with Ohio State’s School of Music Jazz Festival.