"In his sensitive precise touch and his knowledge of how silence deepens melody, he has always been able to lay bare the most private emotions. When you listen to him, it is always a revelation to discover that those emotions have been felt by someone other than yourself."
THOMAS CONRAD, STEREOPHILE (USA)
 

"There are an infinite number of piano trios. But seldom does one stand out from the crowd with a special sound. Pianist Tord Gustavsen, restrained, melodic double bass player Sigurd Hole, and drummer Jarle Vespestad make such an exception."

PATRICK BEBELAAR, AUDIO MAGAZINE  (GERMANY)

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"... Gustavsen's lyrical soloing captures a range of indelible emotion, his notes soaring and tumbling with grace. The trio's ability to capture doubt, joy and anxiety with a few notes is breathtaking." (Four stars)

ANDREW JONES, DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE (USA)

With the release of his first recording in 2003 entitled Changing Places, Norway's Tord Gustavsen came forth with a new and unique sound that commanded worldwide attention, an extraordinary achievement given the rich and well-developed history of jazz piano that preceded him. He focuses on lyricism within a stripped-down approach to music, where playing is gentle, yet robust; expression of melody is simple, yet sophisticated; and beauty and emotional intensity are united. He writes much of his group's material, memorable compositions that echo his days playing in church as well as his time with classical music, Scandinavian folk music and jazz.

The release of his eighth album for ECM Records,The Other Side, marks his return to the piano trio with arrangements of J.S. Bach chorales and traditional Scandinavian hymns. Joining him are bassist Sigurd Hole and his long-standing collaborator and drummer Jarle Vespestad. The elements of Gustavsen's work remain intact -- a paradoxical blend of simplicity, quietude, and sensuality built on the hymns of his youth, a Nordic kind of blues, and an instinct for composition. With the passage of a decade of creativity, he has come full circle to the piano trio but with a new perspective that, as ever, moves his music forward.

Tord tours extensively world-wide with his projects (cf. Live). He can be heard on several albums; in addition to his own releases there are releases with Solveig Slettahjell, Kristin Asbjørnsen, Mahsa Vahdat, Silje Nergaard, the Nymark Collective, the Ulrich Drechsler Quartet, Carl Petter Opsahl, and the duo aire & angels.