Pastorale reviews
The Australian (Eric Myers) ★★★★
"Pastorale contains five of Gajic’s beautifully melodic
compositions, plus one by Griffin… the splendid
interactions between the musicians here suggest an affinity with the best traditions of European jazz."
Songlines (Christina M. Bauer) ★★★★
“Influences from the Balkans and Mediterranean meet jazz and contemporary classical. Subtly framed by the rhythms of percussionist Malindi Morris and bassist Gajić, Crivici and oudist Philip Griffin play atmospheric, sometimes lyrical leads, occasionally embarking on intricate improvised solos… while Gajić occasionally steps out from his role of ensemble bassist to perform elegant solo melodies.”
JAZZTRAIL (Filipe Freitas)
"They infuse each of the six tunes with pictorial vividness. Fans of world fusion will certainly resonate with East of West’s musical intuition and ethnic sophistication..."
Berlin on Air
"The high precision, the constantly spiraling runs, and the dynamics make this approximately six-minute arrangement a true listening experience with impressive exotic sounds."
IGGY Magazine, France
"Some collaborations aren't simply a matter of adding talents: they create a shared language."
Moving Home reviews
Rhythms Magazine (Chris Lambie)
"Their technical virtuosity is evident but the intuitive interplay between band members delivers a special touch of magic."
Songlines (Nigel Williamson) ★★★
East of West span all points of the compass with a fusion of the music of the Balkans and the Mediterranean, jazz and Middle Eastern classical forms to create a sound that defies simple categorisation. If pushed, we could probably settle for something like 'Balkan ethno-jazz fusion, although such a clumsy phrase fails to do justice to the elegance and subtlety of Moving Home, the follow-up to 2019 debut Little Harbour.
ABC - The Music Show
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/musicshow/yazmin-lacey-east-of-west-tina-turner/102338764
East of West brings a taste of the Balkans and the Mediterranean to the Music Show's live music studio. The trio, led by Bosnian-born Goran Gajić on the double bass, formed in 2018 and has been transporting audiences to the other side of the world with their intertwining melodies and complex yet catchy rhythms that are emblematic of the music from Southeastern Europe. Goran is joined by Malindi Morris on hand percussion and a familiar voice, Philip Griffin - who you may recognise from Gosti at WOMADelaide - and his oud.
Little Harbour reviews
Sydney Morning Herald (Eugene Ulman) ★★★★
Bosnian-born bandleader, bassist and composer Goran Gajic, with oud player Philip Griffin and percussionist Malindi Morris, have crafted an album brimming with subtle touches and details, and replete with storytelling and imagery that's effective both mentally and viscerally.
Gajic’s rich, warm bass sound drives the music, but the playing from all members is impressive, and exemplifies Brisbane's being a fertile environment for creative multicultural music. Accessible in the best sense of the word, this is very easy to enjoy.