Queen, born in the Bronx in 1950, moved to Geneva in Switzerland in 1979. He had worked in the US with Horace Silver and Charles Tolliver among many others, and since then has been busy across Europe, including Britain, this embracing a near decade supporting Oscar Peterson. He has his own label, Nilva, and has recorded often; this time though, he’s in Copenhagen with Swedish pianist Brickman [a Copenhagen resident] and bassist Dall from Denmark recording for the premier Danish label, this largely a tribute to Queen’s Peterson association.

Beautifully recorded and never outstaying its welcome, the album dips selectively into the Peterson repertoire, taking pieces from ‘Night Train’ and ‘We Get Requests’, hence the allusion in the album’s title. To his credit Brickman never seeks to emulate OP, rather he’s a crisp, nimble player, who knows how Oscar might have liked a tune to go, even if he’s no copyist. There’s no McCoy-like thunder, no Powell-ian raptures, more a feeling of space and careful mid-period deliberation.

Most of the performances are short, quite measured, and the album might have benefitted from some longer workouts. With Queen in charge but never overbearing, swing is assured and bass and piano lock in nicely. Brickman likes to set up a piece with chorded figures or with neat to-and-fro phrases, as in ‘Days of Wine and Roses’ before he lets go. I liked the boppishly intricate ‘D&E’, with Queen pushing firmly, Brickman never going too far, and ‘Night Train’ is fine, too. Perhaps surprisingly, Brickman also intersperses three short piano soliloquies. Intriguing overall, but perhaps promising more than it eventually delivers.