The Chopin of Jazz, aka Fred Hersch makes his debut on ECM records on a stunning solo performance. He mixes up the collection with some of his own tunes as well as well chosen standards, with a delicate and patient read of Ellington’s “Star-Crossed Lovers” and a lurking left handed dominated “Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise”. His touch is glassy as Waterford Crystal on “Aeon”, chiming on a sparkling “Starlight” and Satie-esque on a reflective and spacious “Winter of My Discontent”. The most attractive thing about Hersch is that you feel that nothing is wasted, neither the note nor the silence; everything makes up the mysterious musical mosaic. There are few pianists I could listen to for entire day; Hersch is in the top 5 of all time.