Elmer, too

Monday was an easygoing kind of day. I cut through the main area and snapped a few pictures of Elmer Ferrer, a regular festival act, strutting his stuff on the Rogers Stage. He sounded a bit more rock this year; on previous occasions he's sported dual percussionists and a keyboardist; his band is a fourpiece the days.



Anders Drerup and Roberto Riveron.



The whole lot (including a largely obscured Rodney Barreto on drums.



This was a hit-and-run photoshoot - a few minutes later I was on my way to see Relief Maps.

Fantastic voyage

Monday was a leisurely day for me. Instead of running to and fro between stages I stayed at the Black Sheep Stage (er, mostly). I did cut by the Rogers Stage to snap a couple of pictures of the Elmer Ferrer Band. He's become something of a festival mainstay and will be playing again today at 6 p.m. on the River Stage. Don't be surprised if he turns up again next year.



After that it was off to see locals Relief Maps start things up and sweat a lot. Apart from some strap breakage - never seen that before - it went off very well.



Up next were In-Flight Safety. The Halifax band plays the delay-friendly harmonic rock of the early 1980s British outfits like Chameleons and Echo and the Bunnymen.



I did briefly consider checking out Buddy Guy, but the River Stage was already quite jammed a half-hour before the blues legend's set. I would have thought Guy would be on the main stage, but as was the case last year for shows early in the week, Bluesfest booked an act for the younger crowd. I toddled back to see the Black Sheep Stage and a close-to ringside seat for Final Fantasy. I was knocked out by Owen Pallett's set at Bluesfest two years ago. Even without the element of surprise he put on a fab show. There was a visual element provided by Stephanie Comilang (who also did his This Lamb Sells Condos video) using an overhead projector.



As for the main stage, as I pedaled away I could hear Hedley sing a version of Bob Marley's No Woman No Cry that could move a grown man to tears ... and I don't mean that in a good way. I'll probably head back to the Black Sheep Stage today for John Allaire, maybe check out a little Randy Newman - then it's a coin toss between Alejandro Escovedo and Los Lobos.

Elmer's crew

Cuban guitarist Elmer Ferrer is certainly a wizard on the fretboard. He likes Steve Vai and Stevie Ray Vaughan. His style strikes me as a bit busy, but he and his band combine a lot of skill and enthusiasm and can't help but put on a good show.

I wager that Ferrer is a man who enjoys his work.



Juan Pablo Dominguez was enjoying himself, too.



Ahmed Mitchell in percussion ecstacy.



Anders Drerup rounded things out - he's now a fulltime member of the group.



Flautist Maraca pulled off another stellar guest spot.



Last time I saw him Ferrer he had Alexis Bosch on keyboards. This time local chap Tyler Kealey handled the ivories.



Cuban-Canadian action!









They covered Miles Davis and finished off with The Beatles' Come Together - I suspect we'll see them again at Bluesfest 2007. If you can't wait so long, Ferrer and Co. will be at Fat Tuesdays July 30 and the George Town Pub Aug. 10.

Bluesfest: Day Three

I could just not get out of bed on Sunday - by the time I'd actually got on my feet, done all my daily chores and was ready to travel, it was closing in on 4 p.m. That meant the first act I saw was the Amanda Rheaume Band. Amanda was kind enough to hand-deliver me a copy of her band's CD. I thought it was good stuff in a more rocking singer-songwriter vein.



After watching Amanda and Co. in action I passed by the Blues Til Dusk Stage where the snazzily dressed Slick Ballinger was laying down some swinging blues with his trio.



It was a brief stay; my actual destination was the MBNA Stage, where I caught the last few moments of the Detroit Women. Judging by the audience reaction they put on a heck of a show. Shown here, guitarist Dennis Burr, group founder Kate Hart and Lady T.



The lady I really wanted to see was Thornetta Davis (shown here with guitarist Brett Lucas). I've been an admirer since catching her vocal work on Big Chief's Mack Avenue Skull Game. I still have her Sunday Morning Music CD around somewhere.



I went home to download some pictures and grab some dinner, then returned to Bluesfest. I had to choose between Solomon Burke or Amadou et Mariam. I finally decided to go see Amadou and Mariam, since it would make the day's listening a little more varied. For once there wasn't a huge crowd at the Black Sheep Stage, and grabbing a front row seat was a cinch. Elmer Ferrer was up first, aided - as in his appearance last year - by Quarterlife singer and guitarist Anders Drerup. Flautist Maraca also took a guest turn.





Amadou et Mariam put on a stellar set of African trance rock. Their band obviously has a lot of fun playing together. Bassist and 12-string guitarist Laurent Griffon in particularly enjoys getting down (and hamming it up for photographers).







A lot of good music to dance to.

International incidents

As I mentioned earlier, I went to see Elmer Ferrer on Thursday before going to see end of Willy Porter's set and The Dears on The Black Sheep Stage. Here he is again - still grimacing.



I caught the guest vocalist portion of Ferrer's set, with Shawn Tavenier helping out on (I think) a version of Stevie Ray Vaughan's Stormy Weather dedicated to the previous night's storm. Bassist Juan Pablo Dominguez was certainly in a good mood during this set.



Anders Drerup of Quarter Life played some slide, and sung on The Beatles' Come Together.



More guest vocal action! Along with Peter Voith (like Drerup, of Quarter Life), they went to Havana to record with Ferrer.



And my one decent picture with Pete, at left.



Among the other acts I caught that night was folk balladeer Willy Porter.



I also took many pictures of The Dears ... still to come. For now, here are some pre-deluge pictures of the family Mason and The String Cheese Incident. Dutch Mason was not in great shape when I first saw him at Bluesfest a few years ago, when it was on Lebreton Flats. He hasn't gotten any healthier, but his voice is still decent.

He's still healthy enough to smoke, anyway. Son Garrett is at right.



Some fine harmonica playing, while the show lasted.



Garrett Mason's show was quite energetic.



His trio is completed by Noel Taussig on bass and Ainsley Jardine on drums.



Finally, the String Cheese Incident. They had so much stuff on stage that I'm sure I missed a member or two in all the clutter.

Billy Nershi models the beachcomber look.



Organist Kyle Hollingsworth (and a tiny part of bassist Keith Moseley just beyond his bum).



Percussionist Michael Travis has a lot to percuss.



Mandolinist Michael Kang at left, along with a cameraman, Nershi, Travis and a big yellow smiley-face.



They have thousands of dedicated fans, but I can't say I'm one of them.

From Cuba to Chicago

I returned from Ottawa Bluesfest; a huge crowd turned out for ZZ Top (no surprise, except to the few idiots who tried pushing the crowd to get to the front ... next time, come early, boneheads). David Gogo put on a really super opening set as well. But now we're going to flash back to Sunday ... First, Joe Bonamassa, seen here hamming it up for the camera along with his bassist, Eric Czar.



The last show I saw at the festival that day was Elmer Ferrer, grimacing mightily.



He also had a grimacing organist, Alexis Bosch and a not-so-grimacing bass player, Juan Pablo Dominguez.



Round that out with a pair of percussionists; here's Ahmed Mitchell on his kit. (And I just like to add that those rumours about under-the-table payments from bottled water manufacturers are completely unfounded!)



Jalidan Ruiz-Castro on hand drums.



I confess I split quickly; great musicians, but they weren't holding my attention. They play on the ADCN Stage again Thursday and on the Main Stage July 15, so I may give them another shot.
That said, the real treat of my day at the festival was seeing Carl Weathersby. He had a stroke a few years ago and was told he'd never play the blues again ... his record company and managers cut him loose. Of course, he's back on stage and had the pleasure of recording an album without "a bunch of people who knew how to be me better than me," as he put it. He cut it up live.

Here he is on stage ... behind him are guitarist Max (whose last name I didn't catch ... Vallejo, perhaps?) and Leon Smith, a cousin of Weathersby's.



The real fun came when Weathersby ran through the crowd.



He was certainly enjoying himself!



Later in the day he acted as support for Nora Jean Bruso. A big lady with a big voice.



Here's Weathersby and his bassist Juwan Scott (I make no guarantees of correct spelling in regard to his name, either).



A closeup of Smith.



Also on stage, harmonica savant Billy Branch; Weathersby did some time in Branch's Sons of the Blues. I do believe that's Mr. Kenny Neal on guitar.



Shout it out!



A super-dynamic stage act from all concerned.