August 2008

Raincoast - The Four Coast Project :Volume 2

Raincoast is the second in a series of CDs called the Four Coast project. The first Superior: Spirit and Light was released in June 2007 and garnered much critical acclaim and was nominated for best CD at the Canadian Folk Music Awards for 2007.

Raincoast is a song cycle about the Northwest coast of British Columbia and Alaska – actually the thin band of tremendous biodiversity and culture known as the raincoast that stretches from the intertidal zone to the coastal mountains- from the Gulf Islands to Gulf of Alaska.  It is spectacularly beautiful part of the world and is exceedingly rich in marine life , forests and in the cultural wealth of First Nation people who live along the coast.

I started touring on the west coast of Canada in the early 1980’s playing gigs in Victoria, the Gulf islands, and then all the towns up  island to Port Hardy.  A concert at the marine station in Bamfield changed the course of my life as I was asked there to join a scientific team that took me from the Arctic to Antarctic. More on that later. From Porty Hardy I took the ferry to Ocean Falls, Bella Bella, Prince Rupert and then to Haida Gwaii.  All along the way we stopped in even smaller towns, First Nation villages, fish canneries – mist rising from the moss- covered cannery roof, First Nation chiefs in full finery greeting the ferry. It was another world and in some ways another time. Since those days I have had the privilege of traveling the coast many times, sometimes as a guide in the company of Robert Davidson, Cecil Paul, Roy Vickers, Robert Bateman or David Suzuki, listening to their insights on the raincoast. Other times I was working with a group of scientists studying sea otters near Kodiak Is. or studying the bio diversity of the Misty Fiord region of South east Alaska. Throughout this period I wrote many songs that find themselves in new settings on this recording. In recent years I have written nine new songs about this part of the world and they have found their way onto this recording as well

This CD is a journey from south to north, stories from the raincoast, stories of the landscape, and stories of the people who live along the coast. The journey is rain soaked and mist shrouded, it is a journey of verdant forests and, it is a journey through clear cuts and salmon depleted streams. It is a log drum heard in a long house in Alert Bay, a humpback breaching off South Morseby, a male orca cutting the surface near Telegraph Cove, an oyster man on Cortes Island.  I hope you will enjoy the journey.  

July 2007

I am pleased to announce the release of Superior : Spirit and Light , the first of four CDs  called the Four Coast project. Lake Superior and northwest Ontario is the focus of this first CD in the series. In the next two years I will look at the Pacific Northwest coast, The Arctic and Labrador/ Newfoundland coast.

I chose to begin with Superior because, in many ways that where my creative and musical journey began and the reference point for all subsequent journeys. I grew up in Fort William and camped on the shores of Thunder Bay and  had a relationship with the lake but I rediscovered its power , its vastness ,beauty and  spirit  when I began canoeing the north shore in the early  1970’s . It was also the time when my musical journey began.

Now – some thirty –five years later I am going back. I think it is time to present a body of work that has emerged regarding the big lake and its surrounding environs. Though I will continue to present other journeys, both inner and outer- I feel a compulsion now to gather together this collection of songs that have dotted various albums and CDs but never been together. As I wrote these songs over the years they were always part of an ongoing story, connected chords and plotlines. It was also a chance to re- record some tunes that have grown or morphed over the years , present some of my favourite  work on the topic by others, and also bring several new songs to the studio.

The second reason  for presenting Superior :Spirit and Light at this time is to focus attention on the lake and its surrounding communities .These communities  are suffering from the depletion of natural resources , fluctuating lake levels ,  a continued neglect of First Nation reserves ,in fact , a general neglect of Northwestern Ontario. At times I feel this stunning part of Canada seems far more remote and removed than anywhere else in Canada. It seems to me many of the towns along Superior’s north shore will soon be ghost towns. It makes me sad and angry to bear witness to these events.

When I grew up in Fort William (Thunder Bay ) I came to believe it was one of the most dramatic and dynamic towns in the world . There were all kinds of comings and goings, it was in the centre of North America, its was at the head of the Great Lakes , it was an international port , ships from all over the world visited the port . It had a dynamic history, it was the centre of Northwestern Ontario’s seemingly endless natural resources.  It hummed with a rough industrial energy. It was also in the middle of nowhere, long stretches of highway and rail -days from other towns of any size. This isolation also contributed to the creative dynamic I felt existed there. It still does, though the dynamic now threatens to be more entropic as Fort William fades and withers.

And then there was the lake – at first threatening , dark and dangerous  but as I came to know its shoreline- powerful , awe inspiring , inspirational and spiritual . As I explored further I came to realize others had also found power and inspiration in what Glenn Gould came to note as this “Idea of North” – First Nation reverence of lake, the voyageurs, Group of Seven, Bill Mason , Wayland Drew , Norval Morreseau.  What was the haunted quality of Superior’s north shore, why was it so compelling? Was there some spirit of north that simply existed in the rock and trees, lakes and vistas of the north shore?  In the mid – seventies I started playing folk festivals and discovered  kindred spirits in Northern Ontario in the likes of Andre Paiement , Marcel Aymar, Robert Pacquette, Robert Dixon, Daisy DeBolt and CANO. They were writing about the same spirit, the same energy.  All these things lead me on a long journey, seeking out the places where the spirit of north and their attendant stories seemed to burst from the rocks, lakes and trees. 

From Lake Superior , the journey continues to the North west coast of  British Columbia, Haida Gwaii, the Gulf of Alaska , Bering and Chukchi Sea , Northwest Passage, Ellesmere ,Baffin , Hudson Bay ,  Greenland , Swalbord ,Spitsbergen, Franz Josef Land  , Torngats, Labrador coast.  Chasing the north is what this four coast project is all about. I hope you will enjoy the journey.

Ian Tamblyn
Chelsea, Quebec - 2007

Songs                                                   
The Gift Left on the Shore                                        
Woodsmoke and Oranges
Black Spruce
Northern Journey
Slate Island Song
Higher Plane
That Boxcar in Algoma
Northlands of Ontario- David Altic
Northern Town
Fly with your Heart
All That Remains- Rodney Brown
Hometown
The Birch Canoe
Campfire Light

November 2005

Coastline of Our Dreams was sparked by five friends, who dreamed of compiling a tribute to honour Ian Tamblyn's music. These fine songs were recorded by seventeen contemporary Canadian artists who are themselves fans of Ian's musical vision.

August 2004

North Track Records and Ian Tamblyn are proud to announce the release of Tamblyn's twenty-fifth recording project entitled, Angel's Share.

Recorded at Teletune studios in Ottawa over the past year, Angels's Share features some of Ottawa's finest musicians, Fred Guingon, guitars, Ken Kanwisher, acoustic bass, Rebecca Campbell, vocals, Alvaro de Minaya, percussion, with special guests from the Gatineau Hills, James Stephens, fiddle, Nathan Curry, mandolin and Alise Marlane, vocals. Others include Rodney Brown and Phil Bova Jr.

Fifteen songs make up Angel's Share, written over the past several years spanning several continents. The title track "Angel's Share" was written on the island of Islay in the outer Hebrides of Scotland while visiting the Ardbeg distillery. Angel's Share refers to the vapours that escape through the oak casks during the maturing process of Scotch whisky. Several songs on this album touch on things ephemeral, illusionary or intangible. One song, "Black Spruce" has been transcribed and will be found in James Raffan's next book celebrating wilderness. Other titles on the CD include: "Arc of Dreams and Prayers", "Built for the Beauty", "Arviat Drum Song" and "Brush and Paddle".

Cover art for Angel's Share is by Albert Prisner. Graphic design, Petr Maur.

Angel's Share was produced by Ian Tamblyn, engineered by Ken Kanwisher and mastered by Marty Jones.

December 2002

North Track Records and Ian Tamblyn are proud to announce the release of Like the Way You're Tinkin, Ian Tamblyn's long awaited hammered dulcimer CD. This collection of mostly instrumental tracks features the shimmering and mysterious sounds of the hammered dulcimer in association with several other instruments, including voice.

For many years, Ian has included hammered dulcimer compositions in his concert repertoire and on his instrumental recordings. This set is dedicated to those who asked for more.

Ian Tamblyn: 2002 Estelle Klein Award Winner

Ian Tamblyn will receive the Estelle Klein Award at this year's OCFF Fall Conference in Ottawa. A composer, songwriter, singer, instrumentalist, playwright, environmentalist, explorer, producer and community builder, Ian is a very appropriate recipient of this award.

After early years spent in Thunder Bay Ian attended Trent University in Peterborough where he met his life partner, Amanda Shaughnessy. They moved to the Ottawa area in the early 1970's, where Ian has played a significant role in the local, national and international folk music scene ever since.

Through 18 albums of original music in a variety of styles, his work has become known and respected around the world. An accomplished lyricist, vocalist and instrumentalist, he has captured the spirit of many remote and beautiful parts of the world he has visited, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Ian explores the interior landscape as well, with songs about interpersonal relationships and the mysteries of the heart.

A multi-instrumentalist, he accompanies his singing with guitar, piano, hammered dulcimer and synthesizer. He is widely known for his powerful instrumental recordings which combine nature sounds with inventive musical compositions. Ian's work reflects a love of nature, a respect for indigenous peoples and a commitment to human rights.

As founder of the Acoustic Waves concert series in 1981 Ian brought musicians from across Canada to Ottawa, giving them a base for touring in Ontario. Over the past 21 years, this series has created countless opportunities for Canadian performers to connect with audiences and with the media.

Ian's "Dream Children" musical encouraged musicians to stretch their writing and performing skills and to learn from one another's strengths. Cast members performed original songs created by other cast members. Similarly, the Writer's Bloc songwriting collective which Ian co-founded has encouraged numerous songwriters over the years to share techniques, attempt new writing challenges, and stage cooperative performance events. The group is still thriving, and it is a major reason for the vitality of Ottawa's songwriting community.

After a brief flirtation with a major record label, Ian founded North Track Records (with Rodney Brown and Ken Hamm) to provide a structure to support recordings by independent artists. This label is still active today. In his role as producer, Ian has supported the work of many musicians, including Terry Tufts, Malaika, Beth Ferguson and Chris MacLean, creating beautiful, memorable albums with them. He is a strong believer in the importance of musicians working together to create a cooperative, vibrant community.

Ian's many achievements have been recognized with the Jackie Washington Award presented at the Northern Lights Festival in 1990, an Honorary Doctorate from Lakehead University in 1994, and the Helen Verger Award presented at the Ottawa Folk Festival in 1998 to honour his outstanding contributions. Throughout his life, Ian has selflessly applied his talents as a songwriter, performer and producer to further the careers of his contemporaries and younger folk musicians. Perhaps his most outstanding contribution has been the example that he has provided to others. Through his musical excellence, his constant willingness to expand his artistic horizons, his strong work ethic and his sense of humour, Ian Tamblyn has inspired musicians and audiences across Canada and around the world.