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Gordon Grdina Trio
The Gordon Grdina Trio engages Canada’s premier rhythm section of Kenton Loewen, and Tommy Babin, and they have just released their debut CD “…If Accident Will” for Plunge Records. The trio explores introspective ballads, improv, and song-forms and mixes them with Arabic inspired compositions, metal and full out punk brutality. The band has a massive dynamic range being at once quiet for an oud lead taqasim and then raging over a free-form punk groove the next. The band is vibrant and exciting to see live as the audience never knows what is going to happen next. The music is emotionally moving while it fills the room with seemingly inexhaustible energy.
Gordon Grdina is an accomplished Oud/Guitarist whose sound is a combination of his interests in mainstream jazz, free-form improvisation and Arabic classical music. He leads many ensembles such as Box Cutter, a genre bending improvising quartet with internationally acclaimed clarinetist Francois Houle they have released two CD's for Spool Records. His debut CD for Songlines “Think Like the Waves” was released in ’06 with Gary Peacock and Paul Motian. This CD combined material from all of Gordon’s ensembles. East Van Strings, an improvising string quartet, with Eyvind Kang viola, Peggy Lee cello and Jesse Zubot violin their debut CD is scheduled for release on Songlines in Fall '09. Sangha is an Arabic/Persian/Indian Ensemble that composes contemporary compositions that stay true to tradition. Gordon has also collaborated with Mark Helias, Gerry Hemingway, Tom Varner, Jon Ballantyne, Andy Milne, & Jerry Granelli. The Trio has collaboratied with Fredrik Ljungkvist, Michael Moore, Eric Boeren, and Mats Gustafsson.
Kenton Loewen is constantly exploring different musical possibilities and is a regular contributor to the Vancouver improvising music community. He performs regularly with Now Orchestra, Coat Cooke Trio, and Georgio Magnenesi, Ron Samworth, Peter Hannan, and Tanya Tagaq. Kenton has also been a part of many successful bands to come out of Vancouver, Anarchist Punk Band Submission Hold, art pop group Mother Mother, & country folk stars Po’ Girl. Each of these groups has toured throughout Canada, the United States and Europe
Tommy Babin arrived in Vancouver in 2005 after a decade in Montreal. He has recorded and performed worldwide with a wide range of artists including Montreal-based Jorane, Ramachandra Borcar, Les Projectionnistes, Jeszcze Raz, Thomas Hellman, Rainer Weins and Joel Miller, international figures such as Hamid Drake, Kudsi Egerner, Abdullah Chaddeh and Daniele D'Agaro. Tommy also leads Benzene and Switchblade Serenade.
…Grdina is a voracious listener …there’s something revelatory about the album’s unflinching hypnotic core…Greg Buium (Downbeat)
…free yet completely focused…the last minute of the opening piece, you just want to shout, "Holy sh*t!"… it is fast and furious and tight at the same time… this is the guitar trio jazz/rock disc of the year so far! Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
…one of the most refreshing styles of jazz I've ever heard... and their collective improvisation is superb...John Matouk "Top Ten Brilliant Alternative Jazz Albums”
... the intensity of John McLaughlin and the linear phrasing of Joe Morris, with a bit of john Zorn attitude thrown in for good measure…There is a tangible energy to everything that Grdina lays his hand to... it has been a long time since a young artist has sounded this impressive... James Hale (Coda)
…I love the patient, architectural style of his improvising. His balance between this kind of complexity and direct, emphatic lyricism is fantastic...Jason Bivins (Signal to Noise)
…Modern Jazz for Metalheads… Alexander Varty (Georgia Straight)
…Grdina’s playing is fluid and ingenious, delivered with a fully developed technique, but never resorting to overplaying or cliché …Bill Barton (Signal to Noise)
001 604 251-6445
ggrdina@uniserve.com
Press materials :
Gordon Grdina trio bio
Music excerpts :
tel : 604 251 6445