For his last few releases, Cincinnati-born pianist Fred Hersch has made New York's Village Vanguard club his own. So, for his latest outing with his long-standing trio of bassist John Hébert and drummer Eric McPherson, it's almost a surprise to hear him in an actual recording studio. But even in the sepulchral calm of NYC's Oktaven Audio, the influential pianist can't help following the format of his live performances, opening with a standard – in this case You & the Night & the Music – and closing with a lesser-known Monk tune, Let's Cool One. In between, Floating is a collection of new compositions worthy of a contemporary master of American jazz, and Hébert and McPherson know just how to respond to the pianist's lyricism, each leaving space for the others to gently float into. fredhersch.com