Pianist Fred Hersch (1955) grew up listening to Beethoven and Mozart, but the world of jazz proved more appealing to him: once he discovered the genre, he was immediately captivated. As a maverick young man, Hersch left his hometown of Cincinnati to try his luck in New York. There, he quickly became a sought-after musician for all kinds of sessions. He now has more than 60 albums and 17 Grammy nominations to his name. Hersch is an omnipresent and influential creative force. In 2024, he released his breathtaking debut solo album Silent, Listening on ECM. The masterful pianist is equally mesmerizing when performing solo. For the festival, he’s returning with a trio, just like on his recent album The Surrounding Green (2025, ECM). On that album, he once again forms a tightly knit ensemble with his Fred Hersch Trio, featuring bassist Drew Gress and drummer Joey Baron.
