Catskill Jazz Factory
Heard Fresh: Music for Two Pianos
About the Musicians
FRED HERSCH:An exploratory artist, outspoken activist, influential educator and possessor of one of the most personal and expressive pianistic styles in improvised music, Fred Hersch has led a singular life that has shaped one of the most acclaimed and influential voices in modern jazz. At the forefront of the music for more than three decades, he's earned countless awards and accolades including ten Grammy® nominations. Hailed by Vanity Fair as "the most arrestingly innovative pianist in jazz over the last decade," he stands as a defining figure in several different contexts, credited with more than 40 albums that span breathtaking solo recitals, compelling duos, gold-standard trios and innovative chamber pieces. Hersch has told his inspiring story in his new memoir, Good Things Happen Slowly: A Life In and Out of Jazz; in the feature documentary The Ballad of Fred Hersch; and on stage in the confessional jazz-theater piece My Coma Dreams.
SULLIVAN FORTNER:
Lauded as one of the top jazz pianists of his generation, Sullivan Fortner is recognized for his virtuosic technique and captivating performances. The winner of three prestigious awards - a Leonore Annenberg Arts Fellowship, the 2015 Cole Porter Fellowship from the American Pianists Association, and the 2016 Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists - Sullivan's music embodies the essence of the blues and jazz as he connects music of all eras and genres through his improvisation.
As a leader, The Sullivan Fortner Trio has performed on many of the world's most prestigious stages including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Newport Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Discover Jazz Festival, Tri-C Jazz Festival, Jazz Standard, and the Gillmore Keyboard Festival. Fortner has been heard with other leading musicians around the world including Dianne Reeves, Roy Hargrove, Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, John Scofield, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Fred Hersch, Sean Jones, DeeDee Bridgewater, Roberta Gambarini, Peter Bernstein, Stefon Harris, Nicholas Peyton, Billy Hart, Dave Liebman, Gary Bartz, Etienne Charles and Christian Scott.