Gordon Grdina is doubling down on doubling down. Around the same time the Canadian guitarist and oud player extraordinaire put out a second helping of an intriguing trio of his called the Nomad Trio, he also returned with the second album by another fascinating trio that he’s involved with.
Pathways follows up a 2019 debut Skin and Bones from the Grdina/Matthew Shipp/Mark Helias cooperative. While the Nomad Trio puts Grdina alongside piano and drums, the other unit is Grdina with a different pianist in Matthew Shipp and Mark Helias’ standup bass. It’s also co-headlined by his bandmates, as this ensemble extemporaneously comes up with the music together.
Like the first time they recorded together, Pathways doesn’t sound like a Matthew Shipp record, Gordon Grdina record nor Mark Helias record. It doesn’t sound like any other trio record, for that matter. It truly sounds like the amalgamation that it is, an amalgamation of fiercely unconventional, almost heretical virtuosos.
On the opening “Palimpsest,” Grdina’s guitar sounds so vulnerable and the chords filter out from Shipp’s hands like each of them are precious moments while Helias carefully finds his spots to play for maximum impact. “Deep Dive” quickly dispels the notion that they are taking just one approach for guitar, piano and bass to create together, as this is rapid and dense. Nonetheless, the three proceed with intent. Even under these urgent circumstances, Grdina’s novel approach to guitar shines through, able to mimic virtually anything Shipp does on piano.
“Pathways” is beautifully fragmented, bolstered by the surgical way Shipp brings down the thunder. When all three combine to get loud and aggressive, they instinctually know when it’s time to pivot to a quieter moment, picking out the next notes to play in perfect unison. Grdina uses his guitar largely as a percussive instrument for “Trimeter,” as Helias works out his bass and Shipp completes the knotted syncopation.
Speaking of percussion, Helias undertakes that role on his double bass for “Flutter,” as tonally, Grdina and Shipp are one. Helias takes on a different approach to being percussive for “Synapses,” using his strings, providing a nice platform for Shipp’s fully-chorded attack and Grdina on oud blends in so well with the bassist, it’s often hard to separate them.
For “Sanctum,” Grdina plays acoustic guitar, with more of a classical flair than jazz and Shipp with his ample classical background thrives on engaging with this.
If you’re looking for a good guitar/piano/acoustic bass album, there’s probably a lot to choose from. If you’re looking for such a combo that breaks all the rules of what a guitar, piano and bass combination is supposed to sound like, there’s probably only Gordon Grdina, Matthew Shipp and Mark Helias. With Pathways, the tremendous trio again follow their own path.
Pick up this album from Bandcamp.
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