Duchess of Coolsville

Okay, I was a bit shocked to see Rickie Lee Jones when she stepped on stage. I had her fixed in my mind as some gamin cavorting in the snow from one of her videos. Then again, I'm not as skinny as I was 20 years ago either. Onward! You've already heard all the Joni Mitchell comparisons. There was an incantatory feel to Jones' singing which made me think of Patti Smith.







Her sidemen kept out of the spotlight, so you're going to have to be satisfied with a couple of grainy photos of Peter and Jose.





I did manage to take one picture that wasn't under or overexposed.



Although the weather was fairly kind to Bluesfest, you know that any show in July in Ottawa is going to get some rain, and after 45 minutes or so the skies could no longer be denied. Rain, then thunder, forced an early end - there was just enough time to squeeze out Chuck E's In Love. Then everybody took Rickie Lee's advice and went home.