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Gordon Grdina: Cooper's Park
ByGroup interaction is the law of the land, and this quartet, rounded out by the subtle muscle and rippling snare of drummer Satoshi Takeishi, is well-versed in that proviso, having first applied the frenetic aesthetic in 2017 on Grdina's attention-grabbing Inroads (Songlines). It's there the course was set for the five Grdina thought extensions that become Cooper's Park. "Benbow" moves through deep space improv before sledding into an intensified full bore climax. Noriega breathes life slow and intently into "Seeds II" before Takeishi, ala Rashied Ali, concusses low as Lossing's ringing Fender Rhodes and biting clavinet join Grdina's phase-shifting Frank Zappa-like solo into a somewhat unsettling, yet impossible to turn away from, performance. And that's only half way through the track.
Whereas Grdina's oud held centerstage in 2018's Ejdeha (Songlines), the guitarist features the instrument just once on "Wayward." It is a classically rambling series of duets where, in particular, Lossing and the leader lock into one mind before Takeishi and Noriega edge in, take over, drive and make the track their own. In tonality and construction, the finale "Night Sweats" is all Jeff Beck via Blow By Blow (Epic, 1975) and Wired (Epic, 1976), bringing Cooper's Park to a most rousing conclusion.
Track Listing
Cooper’s Park; Benbow; Seeds II; Wayward; Night Sweats.
Personnel
Gordon Grdina
oudGordon Grdina: guitar, oud; Russ Lossing: piano, Rhodes, clavinet; Oscar Noriega: alto saxophone, bass clarinet; Satoshi Takeishi: drums.
Album information
Title: Cooper's Park | Year Released: 2019 | Record Label: Songlines Recordings
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Gordon Grdina
Album Reviews
Mike Jurkovic
Two for the Show Media
Cooper's Park
Songlines Recordings
Oscar Noriega
Sun Ra
Satoshi Takeishi
Rashied Ali
Frank Zappa
jeff beck