Fifteen minutes: Edmonton Sound Sessions manifest reality of being a musician

If “15 minutes is the new hour,” the Edmonton Sound Sessions, in both production and medium, are a manifestation of the reality of being a musician as well as a person who actively li

25 January 2010

If “15 minutes is the new hour,” the Edmonton Sound Sessions, in both production and medium, are a manifestation of the reality of being a musician as well as a person who actively listens to music today. 

Fronted by local musician and U of A Middle Eastern and North African Music Ensemble player Nadir Bellahmer, the 2010 Edmonton Sound Sessions are an audio and visual archive of local musicians including improvisational, original, and traditional songs from diverse cultural backgrounds and musical styles. 

Edmonton is host to many peoples. As Edmonton grows, so too do musical communities become more fluid as musical genres and traditions meet, mix and influence each other. 

"The quality of musicianship has been impressive among people who are students, or those who lead families and careers while practicing music as a hobby," said Bellahmer. "Technology has allowed a single musician or small group of musicians to be a recording studio, producer and distributor. Although there is still a sizable niche market for music on CD and vinyl album formats, the 'digital' has become the popular medium and the 'playlist' the new album format."

Collaborating with musicians for one evening session is many times all that a particular project may be allotted; in this short amount of time, typically after work or school, Bellahmer records and produces the track at no charge to the musicians. The musicians retain ownership of the work, and any profit of the work is shared amongst the musicians. Bellahmer plans on compiling music and distributing it digitally on the internet as well as on limited CD runs for the benefit of the musicians who take part, for local music consumers, and for Edmonton’s cultural legacy.

Finding the time to put together a project of a sizable set list of music for a traditional CD or LP’s length has been challenging for musicians like Bellahmer as modern urban life poses significant demands on professional and personal time. 
 
"Public performance is the ultimate goal when possible," says Bellahmer. 
 
Associate Professor in Ethnomusicology Dr Michael Frishkopf has participated now in two Edmonton Sound Sessions.
"I consider EdmontonSoundSessions a superb example of multicultural arts collaboration, tapping varied local talent, and exploiting the previously unimaginable possibilities offered by current technology, with rich potential to link University and Edmonton communities in newly creative ways," said Frishkopf. "It's especially relevant to the Faculty of Arts, via the Canadian Center for Ethnomusicology, and FolkwaysAlive, which have always valued the development of community connections via personal relationships, supported by technology."
 
Listen to the Edmonton Sound Sessions now:

Nay, Michael Frishkopf, Edmonton Sound Sessions 2010