Fred Hersch in Groningen
There are only a handful of pianists with such a virtuosic approach and diverse dynamics like Fred Hersch. Which he proved again last night at Spot in Groningen, the vibrant live venue in the heart of this equally bubbling city which doesn’t showcase its virtues on or above the surface, but rather more slightly under the radar, which makes it all the more loveable. Anyway, after some loose improvising, Fred started out with an original piece from his most recent, and brilliant, ECM album “Silent, Listening”, which came out last April. On “Akrasia”, a Greek word describing someone who acts against his own better judgement, he referred to the most recent election in the US and that this word can actually have a much darker meaning.
Apart from the incredibly gripping piano playing, one of Fred’s fortes is his gorgeously varied repertoire. He segued from “Akrasia” into Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “O Grande Amor” and showed his love and appreciation for Brazilian music several times during his set. It was fascinating to hear and see how he phrased his lines during the verses of this Jobim beauty. Known also as a wonderful composer, Fred included several of his own compositions, like the concert’s opener and one of my favorite pieces of his, the sweet and lovely “Child’s Song”, dedicated to Charlie Haden and which he recorded several times over the years, like on the 1985 LP “As One” with Jane Ira Bloom, or, more recently, on the fantastic duo album on ECM with Enrico Rava, “The Song Is You” (2022). Constantly retaining the elegant harmony and melody during his improvisations, it was one of several highlights of the concert. He can get deep inside the lyric of “Moonlight in Vermont”, adding some colors here and there as if you’re not only cherishing the moon, but also a stroll through the parks of Vermont or the changing colors of the fall season. Incredibly beautiful. As was his take on another Brazilian tune, this time by the great Egberto Gismonti.
Whether he is playing over and under “Don’t Blame Me” or majestically weaving through his own “The Surrounding Green” or using so many different colors and textures on the post-bop classic “Whisper Not” by Benny Golson, or playing a classical, chamber-like piece for one of his encores, it’s a tremendously satisfying experience to watch this man at play. As if that’s not enough, he showed his “wilder” side on two Monk tunes where he played around with dynamics and pitch: after a rousing intro of what would become “Round Midnight”, he effortlessly moved into “In Walked Bud”. And then again, his romantic side was on display on the Billy Joel classic “And So It Goes” and the Ellington standard “Mood Indigo”, both played with the uttermost grandeur and finesse.
The remaining three stops on his tour:
11/09 Rotterdam – LantarenVenster
11/10 Amsterdam – Bimhuis solo and duo with Michael Moore
11/14 Utrecht – TivoliVredenburg
