Bent Fabric
Bent Fabric | |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 December 1924 Frederiksberg,Denmark |
| Died | 28 July 2020(aged 95) |
| Genres | Classical,pop,jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Pianist,composer |
| Labels | Atco,Universal |
| Website | www.fabricius-bjerre.dk |
Bent Fabricius-Bjerre(7 December 1924 – 28 July 2020), better known internationally asBent Fabric,was aDanishpianistandcomposer.
Biography
[edit]Bent Fabricius-Bjerre was born inFrederiksberg,Denmark.He started ajazzensemble afterWorld War IIand founded a label,Metronome Records,in 1950. He released a series of ten inch albums on the Metronome label entitled 50 Years Of Evergreens in 1955, under the pseudonym Frank Barcley. However, he is best known for his 1961 instrumental "Omkring et flygel" (literally, "Around a Grand Piano" ) which became a hit in Denmark.[1]The song was re-released worldwide under the name"Alley Cat"onAtco Recordsthe following year, and went to #1 inAustraliaand #49 in Germany. The tune also became a hit in the United States; the song hit #2 on theAC chartand #7 on theBillboardHot 100,[2]and theLPofthe same namehit #13 on theBillboard200.[3]"Alley Cat" also won aGrammy Awardfor Best Rock & Roll Recording.[4]It sold over one million copies, and was awarded agold disc.[5]The follow-up single, "Chicken Feed", hit #63 in the U.S.
Fabricius-Bjerre had done extensive work infilm scoresprior to the success of his singles, and continued to work in film for decades after. In 2003, Fabricius-Bjerre returned to the charts, this time in his native Denmark. He released the albumJukeboxas Bent Fabric, where he worked with critically acclaimed Danish musicians, includingPeter Frödin.[6]The singles "Jukebox" hit #3 in Denmark and "Shake" hit #10 that year. In 2006, aremixof "Jukebox" was released, and the title track became adance musichit, peaking at #7 on the US Dance/Club Play charts.[2]The album was also re-released in theUnited States,this time featuring a remix of his famous instrumental song "Alley Cat", formerly known as “Omkring et flygel” ( “Around a Piano” ), among others.[6]
In 2005 he released thecompilation album,Kan du kende melodien(literallyDo you recognize the melody) featuring some of his most famous and recognizedfilmandTVscores.
In 2018, Bent Fabricius-Bjerre was honored for his long and active career by naming a new species of beetle †Cacomorphocerus bentifabrici (Fabrizio Fanti & Anders Leth Damgaard, 2018).Married thrice, he died on 28 July 2020.[7][8]
Film music
[edit]- Poeten og Lillemor(1958)
- Helle for Helene(1959)
- Forelsket i København(1960)
- Poeten og Lillemor og Lotte(1960)
- Cirkus Buster(1961)
- Flemming på kostskole(1961)
- Svinedrengen og prinsessen på ærten(1962)
- Poeten og Lillemor i forårshumør(1963)
- Tre piger i Paris(1963)
- Hvis lille pige er du?(1963)
- Halløj i himmelsengen(1964)
- Døden kommer til middag(1964)
- Pigen og millionæren(1965)
- Strike First Freddy(1965)
- Relax Freddy(1966)
- Olsen-banden(1968–1998)
- Olsenbanden(Norwegian, 1969–1999)
- Tænk på et tal(1969)
- Ballade på Christianshavn(1971)
- Flåklypa Grand Prix(Norwegian, 1975)
- Matador(TV series, 1978–1981)
- Min farmors hus(1984)
- Når engle elsker(1986)
- Peter von Scholten(1990)
- Lad isbjørnene danse(1990)
- Det skaldede spøgelse(1992)
- Blinkende lygter(2000)
- Olsen-banden Junior(2001)
- Klovn - The Movie(2010)
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]- 1962Alley Cat(Atco Records)
- 1962The Happy Puppy(Atco Records)
- 1963Piano Party with Bent Fabric(Columbia 33-OSX-7720)(Australia)
- 1964Organ Grinder's Swing(Atco Records)
- 1964The Drunken Penguin(Atco Records)
- 1965Together!(withAcker Bilk) (Atco Records)
- 1966Never Tease Tigers(Atco Records)
- 1967Operation Lovebirds(Atco Records)
- 1968Relax With Bent Fabric(Atco Records)
- 1997The Very Best of Bent Fabric
- 1998Klaver med mer(CMC Records)
- 2001Mit livs melodi(Copenhagen Records)
- 2004Jukebox(Universal)
- 2005Kan du kende melodien(Universal)
- 2014Bent Fabricius-Bjerre og Hans Musik(Warner Music)
Singles
[edit]| Year | Title | Peak chart positions |
Record Label | B-side | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Pop |
US AC | |||||
| 1962 | "Alley Cat" | 7 | 2 | Atco | "Markin' Time" | Alley Cat |
| "Chicken Feed" | 63 | 16 | "That Certain Party" (BB #117) | The Happy Puppy | ||
| 1963 | "The Happy Puppy" | 102 | — | "Sermonette" | ||
| 1964 | "Goofus" | — | — | "Organ Grinder's Swing" | Organ Grinder's Swing | |
| 1965 | "The Old Piano Roll Blues" | — | — | "Titena" | The Drunken Penguin | |
| "Alley Cat Dance" | — | — | "The Drunken Penguin" | |||
| 1966 | "The Sweet Charity Theme" | — | — | "Can't You See" | ||
References
[edit]- ^Biography,Allmusic.com
- ^abBillboard Singles,Allmusic.com
- ^Billboard,Allmusic.com
- ^Grammy Awards,Allmusic.com
- ^Murrells, Joseph (1978).The Book of Golden Discs(2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p.146.ISBN0-214-20512-6.
- ^ab"Yes, Bent Fabric Is For Real".Geezer Music Club.23 April 2018.Retrieved10 February2021.
- ^Seelye, Katharine Q. (29 July 2020)."Bent Fabric, Pianist and Composer Known for 'Alley Cat,' Dies at 95".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved29 July2020.
- ^"Bent Fabricius-Bjerre er død".DR(in Danish).Retrieved28 July2020.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Bent Fabricdiscography atDiscogs
- Bent FabricatIMDb
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
| Other | |
- 1924 births
- 2020 deaths
- Musicians from Copenhagen
- Danish jazz pianists
- 20th-century Danish pianists
- Danish film score composers
- Atco Records artists
- Musicians from Frederiksberg
- Danish male classical pianists
- 21st-century Danish pianists
- Danish male film score composers
- 21st-century male musicians
- Bodil Honorary Award recipients