Category Archives: Blues & Jazz

Last Thursday evening marked the start of the 2018 edition of the Kemptville Live Music Festival. The festival was the brainchild of Bob Beshara of Class Axe Guitars in Kemptville. From his idea came a long list of volunteers who have pitched in to make the festival a great success. In a short four year run, Bob and his volunteers have built this festival into something to be very proud of. I have had the honour of photographing the last two years and things run so smooth it’s unbelievable. Even this year when Kim Mitchell had to cancel due to health concerns, it was taken in stride and handled with less than 24 hours to spare.

Well Day 9 started off a little earlier than the previous day. With it being the second last day…I didn’t want to waste it no matter how just about done I am lol! Some of the highlights on my list included Elijah Woods x Jamie Fine, Jessie Reyez, Rae Sremmurd, Colin James and, of course a sampling of everything in between.

Whether you’re down with O.P.P. or just looking to get Lost Together with thousands of other concert goers Thursday night at RBC Bluesfest was the night for everyone who loved to sing, or rap, at the top of their lungs like it was 1999.

On Thursday July 12, Blue Rodeo came to Ottawa to perform for the 12th time at RBC Bluesfest. Before the show I had the opportunity to talk to Jim Cuddy about his solo projects, family and how Thursday night’s show almost didn’t happen and the future of Blue Rodeo was in jeopardy due to an illness in the band.

5 days complete, 5 days to go. As we enter the midway point of the 2018 edition of RBC Bluesfest we’ve seen record temperatures and record crowds descend on Lebreton Flats and things don’t show any signs of cooling anytime soon!

RBC Bluesfest Musical festival kicked off in Ottawa at Lebreton Flats Thursday, July 5 in one of the hottest summers we’ve seen in a long time but that didn’t stop the festival goers from getting out and enjoying some of the very best in live music today.

The sweat rolled down my back like a rainstorm on a window pane. Hot town, summer in the city alright and this heat wave was only getting hotter with a two hour jazz funk fusion trip lead by the legendary Herbie Hancock. This is how you want to close out your TD Ottawa Jazz Fest, am I right?

My Son the Hurricane is a 14-piece brasshop funk beast with the mantra: anything worth doing is worth overdoing.  Hailing from Niagara/Toronto, the band mixes New Orleans style grooves with funk, jazz and hip hop. Driving the show, charismatic frontman Jacob Bergsma “can playfully pluck every nerve in your body with his voice” (Earshot), while the well-oiled rhythm section including 2 trombones, sousaphone, 2 trumpets and 2 saxes creates a spectacle of sound. With this lineup, My Son the Hurricane “stood out like a sore, yet extremely talented thumb at every show they’ve played” (Pulse Niagara), and became revered for their live show.

Cover photo: DRAE performs at RBC Bluesfest 2017 by Scott Penner

Two years ago Record Runner Rehearsal Studios opened in Ottawa offering an affordable place for local and travelling musicians to get some extra rehearsal time in before a gig. Record Runner offers premier rehearsal space with 4 sound-sealed rooms, top-quality gear, and space by the hour. Last year it celebrated its first anniversary with a party that it called ‘Rock N’ Rail’, they had so much fun that for their second anniversary their doing it again!

Rumours from concert goers, music fans and different outlets across North America of Black Pistol Fire‘s infamous live performances had been heavily circulating around within the past while, and when the band’s first ever show in Ottawa at Algonquin Commons Theatre was announced, there was no way I was going to miss it.