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Gordon Grdina, Matthew Shipp, Mark Helias
“…[Grdina is] a player of unbridled musical ingenuity” —World Music Report
“Helias’ intense and almost indescribable bass playing… exists on a level reserved for the elite of new music bassists today.” —Signal to Noise
“the pianist’s [Shipp’s] brain seems to fire on all cylinders all the time.” —JazzTimes
The always-inventive Gordon Grdina has a talent for putting together interesting projects and this one is no exception. The Vancouver-based oud/guitar master frequently plays with bassist Mark Helias (BassDrumBone, Open Loose). The addition of genius pianist Matthew Shipp promises a not-to-be-missed collaboration.
Mark Helias last appeared for Coastal Jazz during the 2017 festival, with his long-running project BassDrumBone. The prolific bassist and composer has performed with a panoply of world class artists including Edward Blackwell, Anthony Davis, Dewey Redman, Abbey Lincoln, Oliver Lake, Andrew Cyrille, Marilyn Crispell, Julius Hemphill, Don Byron, Bobby Bradford, Don Cherry, and Cecil Taylor.
Matthew Shipp has been hailed as a complete stylistic innovator on the piano. AllMusic refers to his “unique and recognizable style,” and Jazziz Magazine calls Shipp “stunning in originality.” His recent work touches on the relationship between free jazz, contemporary classical, and popular forms like punk rock, hip hop, and electronica.
