Jazz Articles about Gordon Grdina

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Gordon Grdina's East Van Strings: The Breathing of Statues

by Matt Marshall
September 21, 2009

Guitarist/oudist Gordon Grdina has gathered a marvelous string trio to fulfill a longtime desire of producing music in the mode of Béla Bartók. The compositions on The Breathing of Statues were written specifically for the trio involved--violinist Jesse Zubot, violist Eyvind Kang and cellist Peggy Lee--after Grdina had played with them freely. Grdina's writing then served as the structure for the recording date, but “the resulting execution and arrangements," Grdina says, “were forged by the ensemble."

The album opens with ...

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Gordon Grdina's Boxcutter: Unlearn

by Celeste Sunderland
August 9, 2007

You can tell that guitarist Gordon Grdina does not perceive music through a guitarist's eyes solely. The tunes on Unlearn, with his group Box Cutter, seem formed from deeply collaborative ideas, with considerable importance placed on the contribution of each player and a great regard for their respective instruments. Musicianship on the album is grand and the personalities that emerge amusing. They're coy, brisk and unstoppable on the opening track “Titlewave. Grdina proves he's got lots of ...

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Gordon Grdina - Gary Peacock - Paul Motian: Think Like The Waves

by AAJ Italy Staff
February 19, 2007

Allievo di Gary Peacock, Gordon Grdina è un musicista che segue con pari interesse il jazz e le musiche di origine orientale. Non a caso, il nostro affianca alla chitarra l'oud, ovvero il liuto della tradizione araba. E se il suo stile chitarristico, ricco di raffinatezze armoniche e qualche sinuosa spigolosità nell'incedere, ha evidenti richiami a Jim Hall, all'oud il nostro attinge direttamente ispirazione mediorientale. L'album risulta quindi sviluppato lungo due direttrici ben definite, marcate dall'utilizzo dell'uno, piuttosto che dell'altro, ...

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Gordon Grdina / Gary Peacock / Paul Motian: Think Like the Waves

by Jeff Dayton-Johnson
September 13, 2006

Vancouver electric guitarist Gordon Grdina's tone is clean and low-treble; this creates a kind of dreamy effect, like Jim Hall's sound on his classic duet with Bill Evans, Undercurrent (Blue Note, 1962). And speaking of Evans, Grdina scores an impressive coup by recording this trio album in the company of two Evans alumni, bassist Gary Peacock (Grdina's teacher of several years) and drummer Paul Motian. This rhythmic dream team complements Grdina's gifts nicely. The leader favors a ...