MUSICAL EXPLORATIONS
Vancouver jazz guitarist and oud player Grdina showcases diverse chops on new releases
Behind every great musician are mentors who played a key role in developing their unique style, and Vancouver jazz artist Gordon Grdina is no different.
While the roots of his Juno-award-winning guitar shredding originate in a youthful obsession with becoming the next Stevie Ray Vaughan, his improvisational dexterity on the Arabic oud can be traced to the influence of the Honari musical dynasty headed up by the late multi-instrumentalist and kamancheh player Reza Honari. The Vancouver-based Iranian-canadian family also includes traditional vocalist Fathieh, guitarist Hidayat and percussionist Hamin.
Hamin plays on Grdina's The Marrow along with veteran New York jazz aces, bassist Mark Helias and cellist Hank Roberts.
Grdina's most recent album is dedicated to Reza Honari, who died earlier this year. The new record titled Gordon Grdina's The Marrow with Fathieh Honari showcases popular Iranian radio hits from the 1960s and '70s, new compositions formed around the words of poet Rumi and some traditional Baluchi songs. Fathieh Honari's heritage is in the southeastern Iranian Baluchi people who have a long history of persecution.
The traditional tune Qalandar included on the album is also the name of one of Grdina's first combos to delve into Middle Eastern and Arabic classical music through a jazz lens.
“I met Hidayat at Capilano University where we were both studying,” said Grdina. “At the time, tabla drummer Neelamjit Dhillon and I were starting to play together and Hidayat knew him from high school. So we started a trio which became the quartet called Sangha when Hamin joined. So, my whole development on the oud and the music of Persia, Afghanistan and Baluchistan came directly from the Honari family, who even sold me my first oud.”
Over the next 25 years, Grdina would perform with various family members including backing Reza.
“Whenever I got to play with him, it was always a case of learning not just about the music but also to his complete dedication to making the most of the music at the moment,” he said. “But there was always a sense of cool, detached irreverence and openness to his playing. So this new album from The Marrow aims for that same kind of approach with each release exploring different avenues and this latest one is in a more polyphonic and melodic direction with Fathieh's quite traditional vocals.”
Great examples of this approach are heard on songs such as Raqib, where Fathieh's yearning vocals are framed within Helias and Roberts' droning bowed bass and cello, while Grdina's oud flits in and around the melody. Hamin's percussion adds atmospheric touches with shakers, hand drums, rattles and more. Then the piece suddenly locks into a sinuous groove that you could easily imagine coming out of some club in a bustling souk and just breathes fire.
While retaining the adventurous approach to Arabic music The Marrow is known for, the album is also the most straight-ahead sounding with its focus on vocally fuelled tunes. Grdina says it feels like a logical progression of what the band has been doing, as well as bringing in some of the influence of his Egyptian classical music big band Haram.
On the other hand, Duo Work with German drummer Christian Lillinger showcases an entirely different side of Grdina's compositions. Blending four originals and edited versions of lengthier free improvisations that the two musicians laid down in a studio, the album is an experimental vehicle for MIDI guitar.
Grdina first recorded using the digital instrument on Oddly Enough, a solo album of the music of New York saxophonist Tim Berne. Where the synth pick ups, and musical instrument digital interface controllers open up a whole New World of sounds that the guitar can deliver, Duo Work shies away from percussive samples. At times, the two musicians sound like a busy orchestra.
“As soon as I was playing with Christian, adding anything on the percussion side wasn't needed,” said Grdina. “Basically, what I wanted to do was match his playing using the instrument more like a several sonic effect pedal for different musical instruments. The next stage will be figuring out how to have it all happen live fluidly for a coming show in Belgium.”
Both The Marrow with Fathieh Honari and Duo Work are released on Grdina's Attaboygirl label. To date, the label has released records from Grdina's groups like Haram, the Twain, Nomad Trio, Square Peg and others, as well as solo sessions. Without question, this is a busy artist.
Those wanting to hear Grdina play live can look to a rare performance from the hardcore duo Peregrine Falls with drummer Kenton Loewen. The Infidels present the group at All-city Athletics on March 1 at 8 p.m.
For tickets and information online, visit theinfidelsjazz.ca.
… There was always a sense of cool, detached irreverence and openness to his playing. So this new album… aims for that same kind of approach