Thom Swift

Thom Swift Multi-award-winning singer-songwriter Thom Swift performs a distinctive blend of roots-blues. With 12 albums to his credit, this Halifax-based musician is known for his “sophisticated guitar-playing”, “earthy baritone voice” and “textured and truthful” lyrics. When he released his solo debut Into the Dirt in 2007, Swift’s musical reputation had already been established with over 15 years of touring and recording with the acclaimed blues-jazz group, Hot Toddy Trio. With nine recordings and multiple awards and nominations, the group toured nationally and abroad, opening shows for artists such as Dolly Parton, Bill Frisell, Juan Martin, Steve Gibbons and Guy Davis. Into the Dirt was a landmark record for Swift, picking up an East Coast Music Award, a Canadian Maple Blues Award, a Galaxie Rising Star prize and two Music Nova Scotia Awards, including Musician of Year honours. Listeners were pleased to hear Swift’s soulful voice in a fresh musical context, blending his vivid story-telling and his blues and roots influences in new combinations for a rewarding aural experience. Blues Revue praised it for its “dark, brooding, pop-inflected tunes that sit atop rich, multi-textured arrangements, elevating each composition beyond anything seen as fleeting.” In 2010, Swift released blue sky day (GroundSwell/Warner). The day of its release, he performed in Vancouver as part of the 2010 Olympic celebrations and was soon chosen by CBC as one of Canada’s top songwriters as part of the 2010 Great Canadian Song Quest. Swift was nominated for a 2010 Canadian Folk Music Award for Producer of the Year and won Music Nova Scotia’s 2010 Blues Recording of the Year Award. He was also nominated for three 2011 East Coast Music Awards, including Factor Recording of the Year, Male Solo Recording of the Year and Blues Recording of Year. Like Into The Dirt, blue sky day was produced by Swift and his good friend, Halifax-based engineer/producer Charles Austin (Buck 65, Joel Plaskett). Featuring 11 original songs and a cover of The Carter Family’s “No Depression In Heaven”, blue sky day features multi-instrumentalist, J.P. Cormier, blues-roots artist, Matt Andersen along with Swift’s band, the El Caminos: Brian Bourne (bass and Chapman stick), Geoff Arsenault (drums and percussion), Chris Corrigan (guitar) and Bill Stevenson (piano and organ). "...rich, textured songs,” said Socan's Words and Music. "...Swift writes from a well-earned place of domestic contentment, tapping his folk, jazz, funk and blues chops for a dozen great tunes,” said Penguin Eggs, “…impressive guitar work and soulful baritone voice,” said Canadian Musician and Roots Music Canada wrote, "…his always-expressive vocals are at the forefront of his solo career – every bit as important in the mix as his sophisticated guitar-playing." In addition to strong airplay on CBC Radio right across the country, blue sky day earned a spot on Earshot’s Folk/Roots/Blues chart at campus/community radio. Swift’s song “Killer” was added to heavy rotation on Halifax's Home of Rock 'n' Roll, Q104, and secured a spot on the active rock radio chart in Canada. The song also hit #1 on the East Coast Countdown, which is heard on stations from Newfoundland to Nunavut. In March 2011, Swift and fellow Nova Scotia-based musician, Keith Mullins embarked on a new album project. They visited ten schools in ten days in Northern Alberta and each morning they worked with a small group of students to create a song from scratch. Exploring themes of love, family, strength, community and heritage, the student’s voices were recorded, followed by the songwriters' voices and instruments. Funded by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, 10 songs were written, performed, and recorded to create The Wood Buffalo Youth Song Project. Produced by musician, Steven Bowers, along with Swift and Mullins, the recording was mixed and mastered by Dave Gunning. Swift is currently writing for his next recording, set for release in 2012. In November, he will be performing a show with Symphony Nova Scotia in Halifax and touring with Montreal-based roots-blues artist, Rob Lutes. Swift tours solo and with his group, the El Caminos. For tour dates and more information, visit: http://thomswift.com/ October 2011

Thom Swift

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