Fred Hersch was born in Cincinnati, Ohio (USA), in 1955, and began studying piano at the age of four. His interest in jazz was sparked during his teenage years, and at that time he began actively performing with local jazz ensembles. He later pursued formal studies at the New England Conservatory, where he began to stand out for his exceptional skills as both a performer and composer. In 1977, Hersch moved to New York City and had one of his first major experiences in jazz when he was invited by Art Farmer to join his band—a collaboration followed by many others in the ensuing years with notable figures such as Jane Ira Bloom, Toots Thielemans, and Eddie Daniels.
In 1984, Hersch founded his first trio and recorded the album Horizons. Since then, the group has released more than a dozen albums, including the most recent The Surrounding Green, alongside Drew Gress and Joey Baron—two outstanding musicians in contemporary jazz and longtime collaborators of the pianist.
In addition to leading or co-leading various groups in a wide range of formats, Fred Hersch has built a significant body of compositional work, with over seventy-five original pieces to his name. This aspect of his creative output often intersects with other forms of artistic expression. Notable examples include My Coma Dreams, a multimedia piece combining jazz, theater, and video inspired by the health issues he has faced since being diagnosed with AIDS, and a project adapting the poetry of Walt Whitman for two voices and an instrumental octet.
Finally, beyond his work as a composer and bandleader, Fred Hersch has a long and remarkably rich history of collaborations that continues to thrive, including recent duo projects with Enrico Rava and Esperanza Spalding.