Author: Kevin Bourne

Full disclaimer. I am a huge fan of Jazz, Reggae, Soul and Afro Beats. So in a way, the following review might be somewhat biased. Now, if there’s a show I am glad I attended, it’s definitely this one. The Souljazz Orchestra was by far my favorite performance of the entire festival. If only for their styles and the message they choose to share, I would even say that the Souljazz Orchestra is my favorite Ottawa music group period. Music as a whole is a universal art. There are so many genres and sub-genres out there that it makes it…

Last night, watching Muse gave me a little bit of a taste of what it must have been like to see Queen when Freddie Mercury was alive. Some might say that’s too bold of a comparison but I think Muse has a lot of similarities. Queen combined musical theatre performance and songwriting with modern rock. Muse combined classical music with rock and blues. Both are famous for their stage performances and production, if not most important though, both fronted by incredible vocalists. Matthew Bellamy has the best live singing voice I may have ever heard. The band’s total execution in…

To say Anderson. Paak & The Free Nationals was the best performance at Bluesfest without seeing all the acts sounds presumptuous but within one minute of the set I was pretty sure it had to be. Anderson and the band instantly blew everyone I had seen out of the water. It didn’t even seem like they were in the same league. It was like the whole week was opening bands and they were the headliner. I came into the show with fairly high expectations. I’ve been a big Anderson .Paak fan since the release of his sophomore album Malibu. He’s…

Maurice Moore is one of the hottest acts coming out of Canada’s capital today. After joining R&B singer Kehlani’s Tsunami Mob last year, and releasing tracks ranging from 11,000 to one million plays on Soundcloud, his hard work is paying off. Moore started off with the upbeat tracks Awesome and Just 2, one of my favourite songs of the night. It’s a groovy and fun song that features Moore’s rap skills. Artists like Drake are blurring the lines between R&B and hip-hop and Maurice Moore continues that trend and does it well. Rapping on a fun R&B song is good…

Aside from 50 Cent, the other show I was looking forward to the most at Bluesfest was Migos. I’m an old school hip-hop fan, a purist, so it took me a while to come around, but I’ve actually become a fan. They’ve originated a style of their own and the dynamic between Quavo, Offset and Takeoff is interesting to watch, whether they’re being interviewed or freestyling. And really, they’re just cool. I’ve heard people say that this new crop of rappers from the south aren’t really rappers; they’re rock stars. Migos fit that description. Their following and unique sense of…

“In order to be irreplaceable, once must be different.” -Coco Chanel

Admittedly, I’m not in Fetty Wap’s general demographic. This became evident when I reached the show and was surrounded by a sea of high school aged or younger kids. That being said, it was a fun show. I went in without having an expectation for the performance and was pleasantly surprised by a few things. Fetty Wap is an extremely charismatic stage presence. It didn’t hurt that he had a whole crew with him on stage that helped bring up the energy of the performance. Even when the crowd’s energy went down a bit, all he had to do was…

Cleo Ellis began her career working for the government, bringing in a great income, but soon realized it wasn’t fulfilling. Remembering a conversation she had with her father about pursuing marketing, she decided to take that step to pursue what she knew deep down she was meant to do. Cleo went for what she wanted and now runs Cleo Ellis Communications, a successful communications consulting agency that specializes in strategic brand partnerships. Cleo is also co-founder of LuxelifeSound with DJ Lissa Monet. Ep. 13 – Cleo Ellis of Cleo Ellis Communications Photos by Jodianne Beckford For more photos of Cleo Ellis visit…

In all honesty, I went into the P!nk concert with very low expectations. I didn’t really know if I was going to enjoy this one at all given the fact that it’s not really my favourite type of music. Nevertheless, I left my expectations at the door and, as any critic or reporter should do, I decided to go in with an open mind. And boy was it worth it. The first thing that hit me was the fact that P!nk is an amazing performer. Flawless even. The energy that she brought to the stage was so transferable. Halfway through…

Out of the whole Bluesfest lineup, this is the show I was looking forward to the most, which means it had the most potential to disappoint. After going to the Flight Distance show right before, it was apparent that a crowd can make or break a show, and the 50 Cent crowd was good; marijuana smoke and mosh pits aside. This crowd of suburban looking kids knew their hip-hop and it made for a cool atmosphere. 50, along with G-Unit’s Tony Yayo and Uncle Murda, came out of the gate with the bangers that made them famous, like What up…

If I had to describe Tegan and Sara’s Bluesfest performance in one word it would have to be “happy”. Not only because of their indie pop sound but also their pink and baby blue inflatable “T&S” stage decor. The whole thing screamed fun and happiness. They started their set with a cover of the Pointer Sisters classic I’m So Excited which was sprinkled with some slight Reggae influences. After upbeat hits like Back In Your Head, Goodbye, Goodbye and Alligator, the duo added a personal touch, telling stories about their journey as musicians, before going into a few stripped down…

One name I’ve been hearing and reading about in the music scene for years is none other than Pony Girl. Their name sounds unique and a lot of fun and they were both of those things. They happened to be the first act that I took in on Day 1 of RBC Bluesfest so they had the task of setting the tone for the festival for SHIFTER and they did indeed. Performing in front of a packed Barney Danson Theatre, Pony Girl opened with improv and Ivory before going into the soft, and radio ready, Candy, followed by the at…