Her Eyes Illuminate Gordon Grdina's Haram

• 1Raqs al Jamal07:21
• 2Tilli Edhakilo08:20
• 3Sharpening02:35
• 4En Shakawt al Hawa03:42
• 5Alf Leila Wa Leila15:12
• 6Sama'i Farahfaza08:45
• 7Ana Wa Habibi04:46
• 8Laktob Aourak al Chagar06:53
• 9Che Mali Wali06:35
• 10Longa Farahfaza03:42
• Total Runtime01:07:51

Info for Her Eyes Illuminate

Virtuosic oud player Grdina leads this 10-piece powerhouse Vancouver Arabic/avant-garde ensemble. Filtering music associated with great artists such as Farid al Atrache and Oum Kalthoum through Vancouver’s creative improvising community, Haram’s music constantly shifts directions while building to euphoric climaxes. This cross-cultural, boundary-annihilating music will appeal equally to world/roots, jazz and avant/experimental audiences. Soloists Houle, Zubot (Fond of Tigers, Tanya Tagaq), Carter (Destroyer, Fond of Tigers, Dan Mangan), and Grdina and Loewen (Mangan, The Crackling) are well known in Canadian jazz, folk, indie rock and new music circles. Dynamic audiophile recording clarifies the music’s many strands.

Guitarist and oud virtuoso Gordon Grdina's conceptualized presentation on Her Eyes Illuminate is organic in nature and working within what can easily be considered a small jazz orchestra still manages an intriguing call and response pattern that is spatial in context and one of the most creative Arabic/avant jazz fusion releases that will be hitting the street on August 14 2012. The obvious cultural difference not to mention form and functionality make the Arabic sonic translation incredibly difficult and for most artists is a futile attempt at fusing together an original hybrid. Not here, Grdina's band Haram seems to transcend genres and gently ease their way past other sonic barriers that would set off a musical trip wire for a lesser artist.

Her Eyes Illuminate is a release built upon a definite Arabic foundation of Egyptian and Iraqi artists from the last century. While I have heard Arabic influences on numerous releases that added a nice contrast and flavor to the tune or tunes in question, generally speaking Arabic music for me is the equivalent of nails down a chalk board. The harmonic disconnect that I hear in this music is almost impossible to literally sit through. The incredible aspect of this release is that Grdina's ability to take these influences and while maintaining a high level of artistic integrity turn this into what my smooth jazz contemporaries would call a 'great hang.' Make no mistake this is Arabic/avant jazz fusion and for me, the first successful hybrid of its kind where literally east meets west in form and functionality but with no regard for self imposed limitations of being genre specific. There is an open yet deceptively complex aesthetic. Sounds, notes and phrasing are connective in this case Grdina's band Haram is clearly a cultural by product of their own sonic experience.

'Rags al Jamal/Dance of Beauty' opens with delightful percussive nuances and a lyrical sense of purpose with some tremendous improvisation work from Chris Kelly on tenor sax. 'Sharpening' is a developing piece articulated with a drum exploratory of rhythm and texture of sonic motion. As the tune opens up with drummer Kenton Loewen and bassist Tommy Babin the vocalist Emad Armoush takes over the direction of the tune but with all the ensemble components in perfect harmonious cohesion despite the syncopated free style improvisation taking place underneath but the ebb and flow is captivating. 'En Shakawt al Hawa/If You Complain About Love' dials back the intensity yet the harmonic ability to change dynamics on the fly is stunning. Rhythm, texture, harmonic movement and accessibility while performing well outside the box this marriage of Arabic music and influence with western jazz sensibilities is at times addictive. (Brent Black, www.criticaljazz.com)

Gordon Grdina, oud & arrangements
Chris Kelly, tenor saxophone
JP Carter, trumpet
Francois Houle, clarinet
Jesse Zubot, violin & electronics
Tim Gerwing, darbuka
Liam MacDonald, riq
Tommy Babin, electric bass
Kenton Loewen, drums
Emad Armoush, vocals & ney

Gordon Grdina is a Vancouver based Oud/Guitarist whose sound is a combination of his interests in mainstream jazz, free-form improvisation and Arabic classical music.

A protégé of jazz great Gary Peacock, he is a well respected contributor to the jazz and world music scenes constantly being sought out for projects that need a fresh sound.

Songlines has just released “Think Like the Waves” a special SACD that is the culmination of all of Gordon ‘s artistic endeavors. The band is Gary Peacock - Bass, Paul Motian -Drums and Gordon Grdina -Guitar & Oud.

His main touring ensemble Box Cutter is a genre bending modern Jazz quartet featuring François Houle. They Have just signed a two CD deal with Spool and will be releasing their debut CD “Unlearn” in October 2006

East Van Strings is a guitar/oud, violin, viola and cello quartet that is inspired by Bartok, Berg and Arabic Taqasim. The other members of the ensemble are Jesse Zubot, Peggy Lee, and Eyvind Kang. They are touring and recording in December for an early 2007 CD debut.

He plays the Oud in the Arabic/Persian/Indian ensemble Sangha. They are touring in support of their debut CD “Omid” and preparing to record with Virtuoso Persian Classical and Balouchi singer Fatieth Honari.

Maqam an oud, violin, bass, and percussion ensemble explores Iraqi folk melodies from a contemporary improvisational perspective. They are performing locally in preparation for their CD.

On Guitar Gordon leads the groove trio Loose Acoustic www.looseacoustic.com they have two CD’s under their belt and are currently managed by Turner Music and Events. They are mixing their next release for Maximum Jazz.

As a freelance musician Gordon has performed or recorded with Eyvind Kang, Paul Motian, Gary Peacock, John Stowell, Francois Houle, Jesse Zubot, Chuck Isreals, Reza Honari, Amir Haghighi, Andy Milne, Mariam Matossian, Kate Hammett-Vaughan, Chris Gestrin, Karin Plato, Quinsin Nachofff, Peggy Lee, and Dylan Van der Schyff.

Booklet for Her Eyes Illuminate