Post review for Indigenous Music Residency 2020

There was no shortage of talent at the Elkhorn Resort in Manitoba over the past week with numerous artists all specializing in their respective genres and disciplines. I was excited to fly to Winnipeg and meet up with the staff of Manitoba Music on our free day prior to heading out to the resort so I decided to take in the sites and find the nearest stage with music. Luckily there was a Festival going on in the windy City of Winnipeg which had multi award winning fiddle champion Patti Kusturok playing so I attended her show.

The next morning was an early rise with no rest for the wicked as we boarded our charter bus to make way to the resort which was about a 3hr trip so some of the artists and mentors were getting to know one another. We were greeted with a sharing circle and smudge to Treaty 2 territory lead by a local elder in which we would have to share where we were in music and what we were expecting out of the week residency. 

We started the evening off with an awesome variety of respectful singers enticingly serenading each other as karaoke stars up until we were blown away from a duo between Jace Martin and Crystal Shawanda singing Shallow to a tee as uproar of applause from an utterly impressed crowd rang through the resort.

Our first couple of days were jam packed with different topics on which every artist needs in order to be successful and we were graced with the presence of numerous professional presenters all very deeply educated in their profession. I had a lot of my questions answered and now know what to do when it comes to sharing my music with the world.

The hardest part of the time there was the showcase having a trio of well established and ground breaking mentors pay 100% attention to our 2 song showcase, and giving feedback we may or may not like to hear but it’s the truth. I found myself giving in to the process and opening my heart and sharing a very emotional tribute to a high school friend that lost his life to cancer through song and knowing that somewhere I made his wife and children happy with this honour. I got feedback that I know will change my life and now I know which direction to go and exactly what it needs to be successful in my respective genre.

We had 1 last night of music for an open mic and we all shared songs that were near and dear to our hearts leaving no dry eye in the resort and we had enough time to write a song and lay a few tracks with the legendary David Strickland for a very special departure. With love, and music anything is possible. I made new friends that I now consider all to be my family and I have a huge announcement that I will be heading south for a very long awaited trip.

So stay tuned I have new music coming out very soon. 
 

Yours in music

Jarrid Lee

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