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 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.