Gordon Grdina Quartet: Cooper’s Park

Here is a trail blazing album if there ever was one. The album is titled Cooper’s Park by the Gordon Grdina Quartet, an ensemble of first rate New York jazz musicians. This is the follow up to Grdina’s debut Think Like The Waves, released way back in 2006.

The players are:
Gordon Grdina (guitar, oud)
Russ Lossing (piano, Rhodes, clavinet
Oscar Noriega (alto sax, bass clarinet)
Satoshi Takeishi (drums)

There are five tracks with four over ten minutes beginning with the almost twenty minute epic “Cooper’s Park�. Because of the track’s considerable length there are numerous opportunities for the musicians to show their stuff. In one moment it’s wildly chaotic as the band improvises with incredible gusto, in another it’s fluidly melodic showcasing these musician’s immense talent. Complex sax, drum, piano and guitar intertwine and untangle in all manner of directions, sometimes it is indeed hard to keep up. The pace can be furious one minute, the next languid and peaceful. Grdina’s guitar acrobatics is a must hear. On “BenBow�, Grdina explores mellower notes and chords at a leisurely pace yet still allowing for the occasional moment of discord amidst the minimal setting. The improvised piano hits a creative note as well. The end of the piece has the band setting a furious pace, full of chaos and avant-garde-like disturbances. The slashing guitar chords in the dynamic “Seeds II� and the imaginative oud playing in “Wayward� further demonstrate Grdina’s considerable talent.

At times this music is hard to wrap your head around and quite challenging but isn’t that what makes the listening experience so rewarding? Clearly this music will not be for everyone so only you can be the judge.

Track Listing:
1. Cooper’s Park (18:25)
2. Benbow (10:34)
3. Seeds II (17:28)
4. Wayward (15:03)
5. Night Sweats (6:33)

Added: December 14th 2019
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Artist's Official Site
Hits: 614
Language: english

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