Author name: Thomas Cunniffe

The live recording sessions for the new Fred Hersch Trio CD Sunday Night at the Vanguard were nearly canceled, until Hersch changed his mind at the group’s initial sound check earlier in the week. It’s a good thing that he did. The album features the astounding music primarily created during a single set at the storied Greenwich Village club. Thomas Cunniffe’s feature review focuses on the ensemble work of this extraordinary trio.

After Fred Hersch lapsed into an AIDS-related coma in 2009, many in the jazz community feared he would not survive it. Thankfully, he emerged with renewed strength and creative spirit. His CD, Alone at the Vanguard was recorded shortly after his illness and reviewer Thomas Cunniffe calls it one of Hersch’s finest recordings.

This month–without planning it–all of our featured CDs share the theme of family and community. Thomas Cunniffe and Amy Duncan review five albums by the Clayton Brothers, Brandi Disterheft, Diego Figueiredo, Eric Person and Houston Person that feature or salute family members, reunite longtime friends, or share the communion of faith.

The above title is not a reference to Spinal Tap’s amplifiers. Rather, it designates the size of the ensembles featured in this month’s Instrumental CD Reviews. Thomas Cunniffe reviews these fine new albums by Fred Hersch, Bill Charlap, Annie Booth, and Josh Nelson.