Jonathan Turgeon unveils new solo album, Colorum Temporis
Known for his contemporary compositions that blend groove with influences from jazz, rock, and classical, Jonathan Turgeon has made a significant mark with a series of compelling albums, including Au fil des feuilles qui craquent (2015), Les rêves errants (2017), Jonction (2018), and L’abîme (2021).
On his new solo venture, Colorum Temporis, Turgeon ventures into new musical territory, merging elements of electro, musique concrète, lo-fi jazz, and hip-hop, drawing inspiration from artists like J3PO and Knower. The album showcases a dynamic exploration of sound, featuring synthesizers, drum machines, and effects pedals, with Turgeon responsible for the conception, performance, recording, and arrangement. The project was co-produced with Jean-Philippe Godbout (Gazoline), and features a notable contribution from saxophonist Alex Dodier on the single “Au crépuscule, un étang” (At dusk, a pond).
Care to introduce yourself to our readers?
Hello! I am Jonathan Turgeon, a pianist/keyboardist and composer now based in Sherbrooke. I like everything music, from jazz to rock, to hip hop to classical music. I have been working as a professional musician both as a leader and a sideman in Montreal and the rest of Quebec for the past 15 years. I love to channel my creativity through compositions and musical experimentation. My goal is to keep learning and improving for many years to come!
Tell us a bit about your music and writing style.
To me, music and art are all about surprises, and subverting expectations. I enjoy creating and performing music within familiar boundaries while also making it unique and unpredictable. I rely on improvisation, a skill I cultivated in my jazz background, to offer listeners my very personal take on music.
Colorum Temporis will be my fourth album as a leader and the first one as a solo artist. I would qualify it as a pet project I worked on during the hardships of 2020-2022. During that period I had a lot of personal time to reflect and experiment with music at home. I discovered the world of electro-acousIc and electronic musique. I really dove into synthesizers, samples, and drum machines, with all the flexibility and possibilities they offer. I ended up recording many songs I was proud of along the way and it made sense to me to release it as an official project. Colorum Temporis features the classic sounds of vintage synths like the Minimoog, the Prophet, and the Fender Rhodes but also prepared piano, samples, and lo-fi beats. In short, this album is for curious music lovers eager to be surprised!
Do you have any upcoming shows? For someone who has yet to see you live, how would you explain your live performance?
Shows are coming with a release in April 2024, I intend to present this music around the province during the fall 2024 and winter 2025. Because of the nature of such a solo electronic album, the show is less about the performance, which involves a lot of keyboards, live looping, and knob turning, and more about the sonic experience. I am also working with projectionists to create an interesting visual to complement the act.
If you were asked to suggest only one of your songs for someone to hear, which would it be?
Always a hard question to answer! I think I would have to go with Le Faux Prophète. To me, there is a certain energy to the recorded version that I am still trying to recreate live!
Canadian Beats is all about Canadian music, so who are your current favourite Canadian bands/artists?
Recently I really enjoyed listening to the music of Remi-Jean LeBlanc’s Heyday, I was also very impressed by the latest album by Anomalie for its flamboyant production. Finally, I would recommend checking out the music of John Hollenbeck with Le]ers to George, it’s mesmerizing!