Pianist
Henrik Gunde formed the trio
Gunde on Garner as a tribute to the late pianist
Erroll Garner. Originally focusing on songs performed or written by
Garner,
Gunde branched out with his 2007 Stunt CD,
Gunde on Garner, where he tackled modern compositions written since
Garner's death, but he plays them in
Garner's style, with the bassist and drummer strictly in supporting roles. He continues in that mode by interpreting the works of
Bent Fabricius-Bjerre (also known as
Bent Fabric), a Danish composer who is little-known in the U.S. aside from composing the decades-old pop favorite "Alley Cat," which
Gunde interprets with a playful jaggedness in a concert setting. The remaining tunes are enjoyable, though likely unfamiliar to most jazz fans outside of Europe. It's important to keep in mind that while the
Garner-flavored approach to every song is meant as a sincere salute to the late pianist, some listeners might find it a bit overbearing for an entire CD. Liner notes explaining both
Henrik Gunde's interest in
Erroll Garner and greater biographical detail about
Bent Fabricius-Bjerre would have been very helpful. ~ Ken Dryden