The Gordon Grdina Trio - ...If Accidents Will [Warner Music Canada - 2009]I never really cared much for jazz guitarists for the most part. I know there were some greats like Charlie Christian and Wes Montgomery. These days, however, I have yet to be turn on by any jazz guitarists, who just aren't as exciting as, say, any good rock guitarist you could name off the top of your head. But here comes Gordon Grdina out of nowhere, who could be the best player of his kind since Sonny Sharrock's untimely death a decade and a half ago... His playing reminds me exactly of what Tom Verlaine was trying to do on Warm and Cool's more adventurous material. Grdina has a great rhythm section on this (rather old) record. (I should note this came out in '08...) Tommy Babin's string bass is excellent here. And sometimes Grdina plays an oud, which is an unusual instrument in jazz, but it works. They certainly don't forget the blues on "W.W.T.W.D." either, like all good jazz bands. So the Gordon Grdina Trio demonstrates that there's still life in jazz guitar left. ...If Accidents Will is, therefore, worth having Lawrence J. Patti
|