Canadian recording artists are spending five days at Element by Westin Calgary Downtown writing and producing new music. The artists will work together to create new songs before sharing their work at a public showcase at the hotel’s Bow & Bend Rooftop on Sept. 3. The collaboration is hosted by Blue Jay Sessions, which got its start in 2019. “No one was really doing these Nashville-style ‘songwriters rounds,’ so we were one of the first to really do it in an elevated, dynamic way,” said Dan Clapson, founder of Blue Jay Sessions. “I think because of that we garnered a really good reputation quickly with a lot of up-and-coming artists in Canada and that really helped us sort of launch into meeting and discovering artists from all across Canada and beyond, so it’s been a crazy ride.” Clapson says he came up with Blue Jay Sessions to give a “hand up” to emerging Canadian performers. “I actually do try and keep tabs on younger singers new on the scene,” he said. “There are thousands of talented artists in Canada and only a very small percentage will really make it to that celebrity level and we’re happy to be a part of people’s journey.” The four artists invited to the residency are Lucette, Elias James, Haidee and Jessie T. They met for the first time on Aug. 31 and got to work right away, completing one song and three-quarters of a second. “I do think that the product that we’re going to get from this is going to be extra special because of the amount of time that we can dedicate towards it,” said Jessie T. “This particular experience having four career musicians and career songwriters in the room and dedicated time to do it really allows for the ultimate creative space. It almost feels like a retreat or a writing camp.” Jessie T. says artists today wear many hats, and while she’s dabbling in production, she focuses on songwriting and recording. “On the first day, we wrote with me as an artist in mind. Now we’re tackling a song for Haidee,” she said. “Then we’ve decided that we’re going to do kind of like a brain dump song at the end of the day. Sometimes those end up being the best songs because you’re not thinking so much about it.” Haidee compares songwriting to journaling and says spending five days focused on her craft can only be beneficial. She’s looking forward to sharing the group’s creations Sept. 3 in a live concert. “There’s always a certain vulnerability to it when you are performing something new,” she said. “For me, songwriting is such a personal thing too. It’s kind of a way for me to process my thoughts and my own feelings and experiences, so it is a little bit scary, especially if it’s within the week, but I’m really excited to share that to the Calgary community.” Tim Ostrem is the hotel’s general manager and a lover of live music. He reached out to Clapson about hosting the residency and a live concert featuring the music produced during it. “We wanted to find something special that we could do with this space that supported and contributed to the arts community,” he said. “And that’s where this opportunity was born. I’ve known Dan for a number of years and the hospitality community really needs to create spaces that celebrate and support the arts community.” Clapson says the sessions give independent Canadian artists both a platform to shine and a place to hone their songwriting craft. The program aims to build connections, inspire new creative partnerships and spotlight Calgary’s live music scene. “There are so many talented singers and so many genres,” he said. “We now are quite diverse, although we are still rooted in the country. I would say about 50 or 60% of our performers are not country performers.” The program is intended to be an ongoing seasonal series, creating opportunities for new collaborations and introducing audiences to a diverse lineup of Canadian artists throughout the year. The artists will perform their new songs at a live showcase on Sept. 3 at Bow & Bend Rooftop. The event runs from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Learn more about it here.
