Jazz pianist Fred Hersch fully embraces the freedom that comes with improvisation on his solo album “Silent, Listening,” spontaneously composing and performing tunes that are often without melody, meter or form.

Listening to them can be challenging and rewarding. The many-time Grammy nominee ’s impressionistic approach creates colors that are subdued and lovely. It’s chamber jazz — closer to classical music than the blues — that will be familiar to fans of ECM Records founder Manfred Eicher, who produced. The album will be released Friday.