An acclaimed jazz pianist, composer, and educator, is a supremely gifted soloist with a sophisticated, yet unselfconscious approach to playing standards and his own original compositions. As a teacher, he counts both and ' as former students. As a player, his nuanced style, influenced by such giants as , , and , is considered a benchmark for modern jazz, garnering him multiple Grammy nominations, including for 1992's , 2014's Floating, and 2017's . Among other accolades, was awarded a 2003 Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship for composition, with which he created Leaves of Grass, an octet exploration of Walt Whitman's poetry. He also received a 2016 Doris Duke Performing Artist Award. While he often performs solo, he has released duo albums, collaborating with artists like , , and , the latter of whom joined him for 2020's Live at the Village Vanguard. In 2022, he collaborated with the Crosby Street String Quartet for Breath by Breath and paired with on on . He then joined for 2023's Grammy-nominated and returned to for the solo piano session , as well as his 2025 trio album with and , . Openly gay and diagnosed HIV-positive at age 30, is a vocal proponent for gay rights and AIDS research and education.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1955, began playing classical piano at age four and was dabbling in composing before the age of ten. However, it was while attending Grinnell College in Iowa that he first became interested in jazz. He dropped out of college and spent some time gigging around Cincinnati before enrolling at the New England Conservatory, where he studied with pianist and composer . After graduating with honors in 1977, moved to New York City, where he began playing nightly, paying his dues as a sideman. He also made his recording debut during this period, appearing on such albums as 's Yama and 's Awakening, both in 1979.

From 1980 to 1986, taught at the New England Conservatory. He began leading his own trio and working as a sideman with such luminaries as , , , , , and others. He made his debut as leader in 1984 with the trio album Horizons, featuring bassist and drummer . That same year, he joined clarinetist for As One, the first of many collaborations between the duo. The '80s remained a busy period for the pianist, who recorded extensively with others and released his own albums including 1986's , 1988's , and 1989's .

In 1993, came out as gay in his hometown during a benefit performance for AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati. At the same time, he revealed that he had been receiving treatment for AIDS since his diagnosis with the disease in 1984. From the '90s onward, has remained a tireless proponent for both gay rights and AIDS research and education. He has produced benefit recordings, performed in numerous charity concerts, and given keynote addresses at international medical conferences.

The '90s were also the start of a more prolific creative period for , who earned praise for such releases as 1990's Evanessence: Tribute to Bill Evans, 1992's , and 1994's I Never Told You: Fred Hersch Plays Johnny Mandel. Beginning with 1995's Plays Billy Strayhorn, built a sturdy set of albums on , many of them paying tribute to his influences, including 1996's and 1997's -themed . Similarly, 1998's found him investigating many of his favorite compositions alongside guitarist .

In the 2000s, remained quite active, releasing several highly ambitious works including the three-disc in 2001. Following his acceptance of a 2003 Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship for composition, he issued the Walt Whitman-inspired octet project Leaves of Grass, which featured contributions from vocalists and in 2005. For 2007's Night & the Music, returned to a more intimate, less conceptual trio setting.

In 2008, developed HIV-induced dementia, which left him in a coma for two months. Upon awaking, he underwent extensive rehabilitation to help him regain his ability to play piano. Following his recovery, he released the bossa nova-themed solo piano effort in 2009. The trio recording appeared on Palmetto in 2010. Also in 2010, was the subject of a major article in The New York Times Sunday Magazine entitled Giant Steps: The Survival of a Great Jazz Pianist by David Hadju.

then delivered two companion live albums with the 2011 solo piano date , followed a year later by the Grammy-nominated trio album Alive at the Vanguard. 2013 also proved to be a fruitful year as he appeared on no less than three albums: with pianist , with trumpeter , and , a collaboration with guitarist .

In 2014, received yet another Grammy nomination, this time for his trio album Floating. That same year he released the DVD My Coma Dreams, a 2011 performance of his multimedia stage show based on his coma experience. The live album , recorded at the Windham Civic Center Concert Hall in Windham, New York, followed in 2015. In 2016, was the subject of directors Charlotte Lagarde and Carrie Lozano's documentary film The Ballad of Fred Hersch. The following year, he published his autobiographical memoir, Good Things Happen Slowly. Also that year, he delivered , which featured a series of solo performances recorded at the JCC Art Center Concert Hall in Seoul, South Korea.

The Grammy-nominated Begin Again arrived in 2019 and found collaborating with and Germany's . 2022's Breath by Breath found the pianist drawing upon his longtime practice of meditation. Featuring an extended suite, the album's contributors included , , , and the Crosby Street String Quartet. Also that year, he paired with Italian trumpet icon for the intimate duo session on . kicked off 2023 with , a duo album with vocalist/bassist . It picked up two Grammy nominations for Jazz Album of the Year and Best Jazz Performance for "But Not for Me." He returned to the following year with the introspective solo piano date . A third date, 2025's , showcased in an intimate trio setting with longtime associates and . ~ Matt Collar

Fred Hersh

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