Ravinia 2019, Issue 3, Week 5

7:30 PM WEDNESDAY, JULY 3, 2019 MARTIN THEATRE FRED HERSCH, jazz piano † † Ravinia debut Ravinia expresses its appreciation for the generous support of Sponsor The Fisher and Marks Families, in memory of James and Roslyn Marks . FRED HERSCH Every time Fred Hersch sits down at the piano is an act of revelation, discovery, confession and evolution. An exploratory artist, eloquent com- poser, outspoken activist, influential educator, and possessor of one of the most personal and expressive pianistic styles in improvised music, Hersch has led a singular life that has shaped one of the most acclaimed and influential voic- es in modern jazz. His remarkable and inspiring story is told in his 2017 memoir Good Things Happen Slowly: A Life In and Out of Jazz ; in the feature documentary The Ballad of Fred Hersch , which premiered in 2016 to rave reviews; and in the confessional jazz-theater piece My Coma Dreams . At the forefront of the music for more than three decades, Hersch has earned count- less awards and accolades, including 11 Gram- my nominations, numerous acknowledgments from jazz’s most prestigious institutions and publications, and such recent distinctions as being named a 2016 Doris Duke Artist and the Jazz Journalists Association’s Jazz Pianist of the Year in each of 2011, 2016, and 2018. He stands as a defining figure in several different contexts, from breathtaking solo recitals and compelling duos to his gold-standard trios and innovative chamber pieces. With more than 40 albums to his credit, Hersch can claim one of the most highly praised discographies in jazz. His 2017 release Open Book is his 11th solo recording, capturing the bold adventurousness and intense beauty that have made Hersch one of the music’s most renowned solo artists. He’s also led some of the most peerless trios in jazz—his 2018 disc Live in Europe features his long-standing group with bassist John Hébert and drummer Eric McPherson, and earlier that year the Palmetto label released ’97 @ The Village Vanguard , which features his regular collaborators from that de- cade, bassist Drew Gress and drummer Tom Rainey. Begin Again , released in June, sees him pairing up with the WDR Big Band and compos- er Vince Mendoza. Parallel with his prolific ca- reer in music, Hersch has worked tirelessly over the past several decades as a fervent spokesman and fundraiser for AIDS services and education agencies and as a committed educator, teaching for many years at New England Conservatory; he is currently on the faculty of Rutgers University. Fred Hersch is making his Ravinia debut. RAVINIA MAGAZINE | JULY 1 – JULY 7, 2019 92