Gordon Grdina: Prolific Versatility

Gordon Grdina's restless creativity furthers his prolific nature. As a result, in recent years he has issued new albums in twos and threes and this 2026 triad follows couplets of 2021 and 2024 including solo work and efforts with various ensembles he leads such The Marrow and Square Peg. Grdina reaffirms his willingness to experiment and extemporize with this triplicate, all the while demonstrating technique on par with his imagination: clearly he is inspired by his collaborators' sense of adventure as much as his own. As are the engineers who captured these performances in such fine audio detail: in mirroring physical packages that include informative inserts extending the colorful cover graphics, the well-rounded sonics stipulate Gordon Grdina is as meticulous as he is industrious.

Nomad Trio
ASH
Attaboygirl Records
2026

Even apart from live shows with the Nomad of pianist Matt Mitchell and drummer Jim Black, Gordon Grdina's seemingly incessant touring must surely promote the gestation of new ideas for composing, playing and recording. There is no question, however, that, on the ensemble's third album, the threesome meets the challenge of capturing the essence of the material in arrangements before bringing them to life in sensitive interplay. According to logic and the title "Polysemic," this track consists of circular patterns upon which the trio embroiders with each subsequent pass. Meanwhile, the avant-garde art concept that is "Simultaneism" might well be a synonym for the Canadian bandleader's career path; the angular instrumental approach within this cut's fourteen some minutes is a microcosm of how the trio so deftly suggests rhythm and melodic motifs, digresses beyond them, then circles back to apply emphatic resolution(s).

Qalandar
Reza
Attaboygirl Records
2026

The very cover designs of Gordon Grdina's albums imbue his discography with continuity, so it should come as no surprise that these three LPs' distinct differences carry an ever-so-subtle commonality. To wit, in this live recording from China Cloud in Vancouver, the quintet that is Qalandar makes proportionately effective use of space in relation to their contemporaries: notwithstanding the more pronounced rhythmic foundation supplied by Kenton Loewen on drums, an individual aura jells around each musician. As a result, their motion(s) morph into something like a ballet in the wake of that collective invocation of the muse titled "Nava Meshkatian." The extended duration of that track, like those of "Raghs Parvaneha" and "Asrar Azal (secrets of eternity)," meshes with the slightly shorter two, "Gaza" and "Morning Moon," in effect creating a tangible ebb and flow over the course of the full forty-three minutes playing time.

Gordon Grdina and Russ Lossing
Turnpike
Attaboygirl Records
2026

Utilizing oud and piano with relative quiet, Gordon Grdina and Russ Lossing respectively engage through the same deep, abiding manner the former's larger ensembles entice with cacophony. For instance, on "Etude," the stark differences between the stringed instrument and the percussive keyboard conjure a somnolent but nonetheless liberating atmosphere that ultimately whets the appetite for more such interactions. Fortunately, some forty-plus minutes ensue after this opening, replete with similar instrumental filigree, during which this pair of patient yet probing musicians engage in sustained interplay. As with the lively "Uh Huh," "Offramp" exudes a decidedly playful air apropos its title: Grdina and Lossing toss whimsical ideas back and forth for the duration of the approximately four and a half minutes of the cut. In doing so, the duo illustrate the transportive nature of the music they can create in comparatively short playing time.

Tracks and Personnel

ASH

Tracks: Polysemic; Simultanism; Huzam; Succinct Coalescence; Edeha; Ash.

Personnel: Gordon Grdina: guitar, oud; Matt Mitchell: piano; Jim Black: drums.

Reza

Tracks: Nava Meshkatian; Morning Moon; Raghs Parvaneha; Gaza; Asrar Azal (secrets of eternity.

Personnel: Gordon Grdina: oud; Reza Honari: kamanche; Ali Razmi: setar; Hamin Honari: tombak, daf; Kenton Loewen: drums.

Turnpike

Tracks: Etude; Uh Huh; Offramp; #4; Luglio; Twist; Drench; Turnpike; Breezy.

Personnel: Gordon Grdina: oud; Russ Lossing; piano