Hot off the heels of releasing a custom beer with Russell Brewing Company in Alberta, Blue Jay Sessions is also excited to debut a dynamic ensemble cover song on July 24 featuring 20 Canadian musicians in support of Community Food Centres Canada.
Opting for the Canadian classic “Both Sides Now” penned by the much-celebrated Joni Mitchell, the song features a dynamic mix of performers throughout, including The Dungarees, Brandi Sidoryk and Katie Rox of Nice Horse, Juno-nominated artist Desiree Dorion, Brettyn Rose, Aaron Pollock, Shantaia, Mariya Stokes and Annika Cheyne (“ANNIKA”, formerly of Leaving Thomas).
For the first month of its release, Blue Jay Sessions will be donating all proceeds from streams and sales to Community Food Centres Canada, a charity that offers a variety of programs and community hubs to help combat health issues, poverty and food insecurity. In addition, there will be an adjacent webpage where people can donate additional funds to the cause.
“We mapped out the arrangement for this song earlier in the spring and it’s been amazing to see the song come together and be able to give back to the community,” says Blue Jay Sessions founder and co-organizer Dan Clapson. “To us, ‘Both Sides Now’ is all about self realization and with everything that’s taken place over the past few months, it speaks to us now more than ever.”
The sessions have set a fundraising goal of $2,500 and hope to reach or surpass the amount come August 17.
“It’s great to be a part of a song like this during the pandemic,” says Mariya Stokes. “Blue Jay Sessions have always been about celebrating Canadian music and supporting the community. I think ‘Both Sides Now’ and its associated fundraising effort is the embodiment of that.”
While more details on the adjacent online fundraiser for Community Food Centres Canada will be released on July 24 when the song debuts, "Both Sides Now" can already be pre-saved.
