Featuring: Jon Cowherd/Keys, Steve Cardenas/Guitar, Tony Scherr/Bass and Rudy Royston/Drums

Although MERCY is Jon Cowherd’s first album under his own name, the esteemed pianist/composer/arranger/producer has been firmly established as one of the jazz world’s most accomplished, expressive and in-demand young musicians.

Best known for his long-running partnership with drummer/bandleader Brian Blade and the Brian Blade Fellowship, whose acclaimed, influential albums showcase Cowherd’s stellar keyboard work and singular compositional skills.

MERCY is the most compelling example of Jon Cowherd’s sensitivity, inventiveness and versatility. Recorded in an inspired three-day session at New York’s Avatar Studios, the sterling set is comprised of ten new Cowherd originals, his sublime keyboard work anchoring an all-star quartet that includes Bill Frisell on acoustic and electric guitars, John Patitucci on acoustic bass and longtime collaborator Brian Blade on drums. The resulting album is a creative landmark, demonstrating his gifts as an instrumentalist and composer.

When not collaborating with Blade, Cowherd is currently a member of Cassandra Wilson’s band, and his work has graced albums by Rosanne Cash, Lizz Wright, Iggy Pop, Marc Cohn, Mark Olson and Victoria Williams. He’s recorded with Daniel Lanois, Joni Mitchell, John Leventhal, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Dave Easley, Jeff Parker, Marcus Strickland and Jack Wilkins.

As a producer, Cowherd has overseen albums by Lizz Wright, Alyssa Graham and The Local NYC, and has served as keyboardist for and co-musical director for the all-star Joni Jazz concert at the Hollywood Bowl, in honor of Joni Mitchell, in which he performed with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Chaka Khan, Kurt Elling, Aimee Mann, Glen Hansard and Cassandra Wilson.