Turpentine Wind

Toronto based multi-discipline artist Kurt Swinghammer’s new project is a 12 song concept album that follows the life of iconic Canadian landscape painter Tom Thomson through the seasons, from Owen Sound in spring to Toronto to Algonquin Park, ending up on the bottom of Canoe Lake in winter. With lyrics that jump cut to Sam The Record Man and a butter sculpture of The Beatles at the CNE, the Thomson narrative becomes a backdrop to explore other issues. Kurt says “It maps the arc of an artist through Kodachrome slides from another carousel of life.” Multiple Juno Award winner Michael Phillip Wojewoda produced the tracks, and says it shares a place with The Rheostatics’ Whale Music as the two works he is most proud of in his extensive resume. The music combines traces of Swinghammer’s main musical influences - Joni Mitchell, Burt Bacharach, Steve Reich, and Brian Eno, along with complex time signatures, creative sound sculpting and arrangements for bassoon, hurdy gurdy and clarinet. Binaural field recordings from Algonquin Park by Kevin O’Leary (Earth Noise) contribute to the atmosphere. Kurt’s band Tom Toms On includes Mark Mariash (Sarah Slean band), Maury Lafoy (Monkey Bunch, Jann Arden band), David Matheson (Ron Sexsmith band), and Lori Cullen, along with special guests Ben Grossman, Jeff Burke, and Fergus Hamilton.