Gordon Grdina

Gordon Grdina is a Canadian guitarist from Vancouver, British Columbia, whose style blends jazz, world music, and avant-garde influences. His sound is a combination of his interests in mainstream jazz, free-form improvisation, and Arabic classical music. Vancouver-born guitarist Gordon Grdina remembers the moment, at age 13, that he first heard the sound of the Middle Eastern oud, the centuries-old forerunner of the European lute. He began studying the oud well over 15 years ago, and these days he is playing the eastern instrument as much as the guitar. 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. He is most noted for his 2018 album "China Cloud," which won the JUNO Award for Instrumental Album of the Year at the JUNO Awards of 2019. He formed Attaboygirl label with photographer and partner Genevieve Monro. The label was launched in October 2021 with the simultaneous releases of the solo "Pendulum" and the debut of his Square Peg quartet. Grdina leads various ensembles and collaborates with numerous musicians across jazz, improvised music, and world music scenes, demonstrating remarkable versatility as both a guitarist and oud player. His work bridges Eastern and Western musical traditions, creating a unique sound that is both innovative and deeply rooted in diverse musical histories.

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