Gordon Grdina, guitar & oud – Think Like the Waves (with Gary Peacock, drums; Paul Motian, drums) – Songlines

by | Sep 28, 2006 | SACD & Other Hi-Res Reviews | 0 comments

Gordon Grdina, guitar & oud – Think Like the Waves (with Gary Peacock, drums; Paul Motian, drums) – Songlines Multichannel SACD SFL SA1559-2 [distr. by Allegro] , 58:30 ****:

Grdina is a guitar and oud player from Vancouver whose mentor and teacher for five years has been bassist Gary Peacock. This disc is a result of their work together, and combines some of Grdina’s interests in mainstream jazz, free improvisation and Arabic classical music.  The trio explores improvisation and world fusion, sometimes taking solos or just two of the instruments working as a duo.  All three performers operate as a tight confederation of talents, dovetailing their skills together fully. 

Most of the tracks have an introspective ECM-like mood about them. Grdina is interested in serious composer such as Berg, Webern and Bartok and that comes out in his music. But he is also inspired by Keith Jarrett, Paul Bley and Ornette Coleman.  He says he wants it to be about simplicity and complexity all at the same time, and that sums up the feeling of many of the tracks.  The sound of the oud is a nice change from the usual guitar lines, and it doesn’t always remind one of Arabic music in these selections. The original recording was 88.2K/24bit and while the surround mix isn’t enveloping it does add a more realistic dimension to the three players on the frontal soundstage.

Tracks: Yellow Spot into the Sun, Different Places, Platform, Renunciation, Morning Moon, Ginger Root, 100 Years, Distant, Combustion, Think Like the Waves, Cobble Hill, Albert the Monk, String Quartet #6, Strathcona.

– John Henry

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