The list of musicians who have played in Guelph-based folk band Tamarack has changed many times over the years, but a recent show at Hillside Festival featured a mix of new and founding members.
"There's a family tree somewhere with the different people who have played with the band," said founding member James Gordon, who stepped away from the band in the early 2000s to follow a solo career, activism and in 2014 he was voted to Guelph city council.
Gordon and fellow founding member Jeff bird joined current band members Alex Sinclair and Molly Kurvink for what was billed as a reunion show at Hillside’s Lake Stage on Sunday.
“(Alex and Molly) have really kept the Tamarack flame burning after Jeff and I left the band,” said Gordon. “It’s kind of the two sides of it put together, which is nice.”
Bird left the band in 1987, around the time he began performing on albums and touring with the Cowboy Junkies.
The artists that make up the band at any point in time is less important than the music that binds them together, said Gordon.
“One of the funny things that happens when we get in a circle playing, we thought 'these songs are all right.' It's great to revisit them. We picked a repitoire that seems to have stood the test of time,” he said.
Gordon said the four band mates began rehearsing a couple of weeks ago. During Sunday’s show, the band played some of their better-known songs, including Frobisher Bay, Harvest Traina and Lonesome Cowboy’s Lament.
"Most of the rehearsals are, 'do you remember that one?' and 'how does that one go?' said Gordon. “You get a muscle memory and the tunes come back.”
Playing Hillside in 2018 was poignant for Tamarack because they played the very first iteration of the festival 35 years ago.
Gordon notes the festival goers are now past the third generation, with so-called ‘Hillside babies’ now bringing their own children.
"People go — it doesn't matter who is playing — they know when they get there it's going to be good and there is lots more happening there than music. It's going to have a good feel to it," said Gordon.
Tamarack will perform a number of shows in the fall, including Hugh’s Room in Toronto on Oct. 20 and a Nov. 17 show at the Registry Theatre in Kitchener.
The lineup for those upcoming shows will likely vary somewhat, said Gordon.
"Jeff Bird is in the Cowboy Junkies, so they have first claim over him," quipped Gordon. “But he's in for a couple of them."
