The Fred Hersch Trio - Plays (1Step)
Piano - Fred Hersch
Bass – Drew Gress
Drums – Tom Rainey
Written by Miles Davis (A1), Wayne Shorter (A2), Thelonious Monk (A3), Dizzy Gillespie (A4), Duke Ellington (B1), Herbie Hancock (B2), Fred Hersch (B3), Ornette Coleman (B4)
1 LP, standard sleeve
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33 RPM
Size : 12'’
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : unspecified
Label : Chesky Records - Chesky Original Masters Series
Original label : Chesky Records
Recorded on February 16th and 17th, 1994 at MasterSound Studios, Astoria Queens, NY.
Recorded by Bob Katz
Engineered by David Merrill
Produced by David Chesky, Fred Hersch
Executive-Producer – Norman Chesky
Liner Notes – Fred Hersch, Charles Waring
Photography by Luciana Pampalone
Originally released in 1994
Reissued in October 2025
Tracks :
Side A:
- Milestones
 - Iris
 - Played Twice
 - Con Alma
 
Side B:
- Mood Indigo
 - Speak Like a Child
 - Evanessence
 - Forerunner
 
Reviews:
“On this highly recommended set, Fred Hersch plays his favorite compositions from ten of the greatest composers in the history of recorded jazz -- Monk, Miles, Ellington, and Strayhorn included. All of the important and complimentary adjectives customarily used in relation to Hersch's work can also be used to describe this effort, most notably lyricism, warmth, and taste. Hersch and his bandmates -- Drew Gress (bass) and Tom Rainey (drums) -- form a trio in the best sense of the word. The band listens to and respects one another, providing appropriate space for each to explore, while always functioning as a complete and thoughtful whole. They never overplay; they are consistently interesting; they choose only the best music to play. If Hersch's distinctive style can be compared to other artists, the list would certainly include Bill Evans, in terms of lyricism and touch, and Thelonious Monk, for his employment of unique rhythmic and harmonic patterns. Each of the tracks on this album is worthwhile, yet two stand out above the rest: Monk's "Played Twice" and "Think of One." Hersch has always been a supreme interpreter of Monk's compositions, and again he does not disappoint. "Played Twice" is stripped down to its essential, stark beauty, while "Think of One" is played with a slightly heavier touch and offers the quirky rhythms, variable tempos, and subtle humor that are indispensable to Monk. If you are a fan of jazz piano trio, do not miss this opportunity to enjoy one of the best.” AllMusic Review by Brian Bartolini
One Step. Instead of utilizing the industry-standard three-step lacquer process, one-step plating uses only one step, bypassing two processes of generational loss. One-step plating skip the regular father-mother process, going right to a single convert and then pressing. Though this dramatically increases mastering and production costs, it also assures each run is more consistent from disc to disc, with less noise, clearer details and deeper bass. Reducing production complexity to just a single "convert" disc between the lacquer and the press greatly improves groove integrity, diminishes non-fill anomalies and increases signal integrity from the master tape to your system.
Ratings:
AllMusic : 4.5 / 5 ; Discogs : 4.09 / 5