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; and
- the upcoming 2022 release «Opening», introducing bass player Steinar Raknes.
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».