Fred Hersch, The Surrounding Green

The Art of Listening: Fred Hersch’s The Surrounding Green

By Ferell Aubre

Fred Hersch’s The Surrounding Green, on ECM records, is an expression in trio subtlety and musical conversation. Marking Hersch’s third ECM collaboration, this recording notably gathers his longstanding collaborators, bassist Drew Gress and drummer Joey Baron, in their inaugural studio recording as a trio, highlighting decades of collaborative live performance nuance.

The album commences with Hersch’s original “Plainsong,” a perfect exposition of the trio’s elasticity and collective intuition. Hersch’s solo introduction is multi-textured, his harmonic language rich and lyrical. When Gress and Baron join, the rhythm becomes fluid yet anchored, the trio moving freely within the elastic pulse. Gress’s bass adds a resonant depth, while Baron’s intuitive drumming enhances the dynamic ebb and flow, making the song breathe naturally.

“Law Years,” Ornette Coleman’s piece, receives an energized treatment opened by Baron’s engaging rhythmic patterns. Hersch’s interpretation of the melody, characteristically clear but playfully disjunct, leads into the trio’s progressive embrace of a swinging pulse. Hersch’s solo is vivid, melodically engaging, and dynamically conversational, deeply supported by Gress’s woody bass lines and Baron’s snappy rhythmic commentary.

The album’s title track, “The Surrounding Green,” is a pastel-hued ballad infused with folk-jazz sensibilities. Hersch’s introduction sets an introspective tone that blossoms through the trio’s thoughtful interplay. Gress and Baron sensitively track Hersch’s nuanced phrasing, exemplifying their mutual trust and refined sensitivity. This understated elegance speaks volumes about the trio’s collective maturity.

Egberto Gismonti’s “Palhaço” introduces a distinctive European jazz texture, characterized by harmonic introspection and more focus on elongated melodies. Gress’s richly sustained bass notes underpin Hersch’s explorative harmonic colors, as Baron creates a lush sonic landscape. The track features a lyrical bass solo from Gress, distinctly thematic and motive-driven, underlining his expressive melodic sensibility.

“Embraceable You,” the Gershwin classic, offers an illustrative showcase of how effortlessly the trio navigates standards. Baron initiates the piece with an articulate hi-hat and melodic drum pattern, setting the feel for Hersch’s elegant chordal interpretations. Gress maintains a relaxed two-feel as the piece evolves dynamically. The performance is driven by subtle increases in activity from all members, demonstrating the trio’s skill in developing narratives within familiar jazz standard structures.

The trio’s interpretation of Charlie Haden’s “The First Song” has Gress’s resonant bass introduction, warm and woody. The trio sets an introspective and lyrical tone. The interplay among them builds organically into a delicate folk-jazz expression, with Hersch’s nuanced, multi-textural pianism at its heart.

Concluding the album with a rhythmic flourish, “Anticipation” showcases Hersch’s flair for Latin jazz. Baron’s expert brushwork sets an infectious groove, which Hersch complements through skillful interplay between chordal and linear improvisational approaches. The result is an elegantly buoyant finale, aptly capturing the album’s spirited essence.

Recorded under Manfred Eicher’s supervision at Lugano’s Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI, the production quality of The Surrounding Green complements the trio’s refined aesthetics. This album stands as a fine addition to Fred Hersch’s discography. For those interested in the art of trio interplay, harmonic exploration, and musical jazz expression.