As the title suggests, this album, recorded in 2000, includes interpretations of some Allan Holdsworth compositions, played solely on piano.

I have to admit that while approaching to review this album I was in awe of the warm words poured on it by two guitar greats, John McLaughlin and Allan Holdsworth himself, as documented in the booklet of this 2004 re-issue. Who am I to contradict them? Once I gave this recording a try, all fear was gone as contradicting them never again came to my mind.

But perhaps some background of this tribute’s subject as well as the performer is important here to give a better insight into this recording.

Allan Holdsworth is a highly respected and experienced fusion guitarist, known for developing his unique, liquid style while recording with progressive/ jazz-rock bands such as Soft Machine and Gong, as well as recording a healthy amount of solo material, some of it of a technocratic nature, often drenched in high-tech sound, credited to his pioneering use of SynthAxe (a type of a synthesized guitar).

As for Gary Husband – he is not unaccustomed to sitting in for Holdsworth’s compositions, but unlike his position at the piano here, he mainly did it from behind the drum kit, as he was a collaborator of Holdsworth’s for a long time.

On this recording, Husband offers much more than a straight-forward one-take on the piano – it is full of colorful overdubs that help him to execute the compositions in a way that is both original and loyal to Holdsworth’s style, as clearly evident on tracks such as "The Sixteen Men of Tain" and "The Things I See," on which he quickly makes keyboard runs that, with a bit of imagination, can be replaced by a speedy Holdsworth-like attack of a guitar fret board.

It might be his previous role as a drummer for Holdsworth that makes this recording even more interesting, as a lot of energy and attention is given to the rhythmical aspect of the pieces. He is able to do so thanks to the multi-tracked playing, as well as his gutsy and successful attempt of using his piano as a percussion instrument.

Although Husband leaves the music credited to Holdsworth, there’s no denying that it is his adventurous, open-minded approach to this music as well as his love for it that fuel this recording to exciting heights. This goes far beyond being just an adoption of the guitar-based compositions to the piano – it is vivid and true, also bringing foreign influences, such as the Thelonious Monk upside-down harmonies on "An Out From Under"; and above all, it gives the originals, which were sometimes crowded and technical, more space and passion. Splendid! (8.5/10)