Tord works in solo, duo, trio, quartet and extended ensemble formats. His discography as a band leader includes

• an early trilogy of trio albums with the late bass player Harald Johnsen and drummer Jarle Vespestad;
• a trilogy of albums with bass player Mats Eilertsen and saxophonist Tore Brunborg (also including singer Kristin Asbjørnsen on one of them)
• the alternative trio with singer Simin Tander and drummer Jarle Vespestad, with Tord also playing synth-bass and electronics;
• the 2018 release «The Other Side», re-establishing Tord Gustavsen Trio as a band, with bass player Sigurd Hole alongside Tord and Jarle;
• the 2022 and 2024 trio releases «Opening» and «Seeing», introducing bass player Steinar Raknes while continuing the 20+ years’ collaboration with drummer Jarle Vespestad.

In addition to this body of work, Tord has contributed to around 30 releases with other main artists, such as Solveig Slettahjell, Kristin Asbjørnsen, The Norwegian Girls’ Choir, Mahsa Vahdat, The Oslo Cathedral Choir, and others.

Tord has also been pursuing an academic project on the psychology of improvisation developing a highly original approach to exploring the dilemmas of control vs. surrender; crystallised in his essay «The Dialectical Erotism of Improvisation».

Awards:

• Prix du musicien européen 2024 / European Musician of the Year 2024 by Académie du Jazz, France
• Spellemannsprisen (Norwegian Grammy) for ‘Restored, Returned’
• Bell Awards for best international album of the year – Australia
• Jahrespreis der deutschen Schallplattenkritikk – critics’ award as one of the ten best albums of the year regardless of genre for ‘What was said’
• NOPAs Musikkpris for best jazz composition of the year for ‘Intuition’