Customer Reviews

Live at the Village Vanguard

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD is my first exposure to Fred Hersch, and I'm very impressed. He seems to have found a middle ground between the dissonant and sometimes annoyingly virtuosic playing of younger contemporaries like Brad Mehldau and Ethan Iverson and the Bill Evans-ish lyricism that seems to be his own background. There are a few missteps ("Swamp Thang," a dull, overlong piece that seems to be an ode to 50's horror movie music) but the brilliant touches more than redeem it. Highly recommended.

I fully agree with the previous review in that Hersch sounds like Bill Evans. This being a plus, that's definitely not the only positive thing about this record. Apart from "Stuttering" there's plenty of other material that makes one wish to sit in and be part of that audience. Nasheet Waits and Drew Gress are great throughout the recording. Last but not the least, the recording quality and mastering stands as an example of what a club live set recording should sound like.

I actually have not yet heard this disc, but have heard alot of Fred Hersch and am responding to the comments of the reviewers who claim he plays like Bill Evans. There is no pianist post Evans who has not been influenced by him, particularly when it comes to playing ballads, and why shouldn't they be? Evans was a pioneer, particular in bringing a new lyricism to the jazz piano. Hersch has no doubt integrated his experience of Bill Evans along with other influences and developed his own inimitable style. I'm positive I could discriminate one from the other in a blindfold test, hands down. I am moved (and as an amateur jazz pianist I admit influenced as well!) by Fred's work in unique and different ways than Bill Evan's. Let's give Fred unqualified credit for the extraordinary and unique artist that he is. He is one of the giants of jazz piano, now and forever!