Swing Dynamite Blog
Thoughts and news about swing dancing in Ottawa
Calabogie Blues Fest: August 12-14th, 2011
[ No Comments ] Posted by byron on Aug 10, 2011 in Blues Dancing, Jazz and Blues Musicians, Live Music, News
Imagine this: a Blues Fest featuring real blues music! Introduced for the first time this summer in 2011, this is what the Calabogie Blues Fest looks like it will be.
The trend in the last decade or so with jazz and blues festivals seems to be to invite a number of famous pop artists who have only a loose connection to jazz or blues music styles, in order to attract enough participants to keep the festival alive. The downside is of course that true jazz aficionados and blues lovers are often left a little unsatisfied by festival offerings. While I was very grateful to have Great Big Sea performing in Ottawa last summer, the connection to the Blues Festival seemed to be more about promoting the festival than about a real connection to Blues roots. Don’t get me wrong: I’m grateful there’s a blues fest at all, and if pop artists help it succeed, so much the better. But what if we could have a festival really dedicated to just blues music?
The Calabogie Blues and Rib Fest appears to be just that: a real Blues Festival. And… also ribs. And that’s great, because let’s face it: even a vegetarian will admit that Blues music is more strongly connected to eating ribs than it is to Drake (Ottawa Blues Fest 2010) for example, as much as I might admire the artist within his genre.
The bad news (for Ottawa people): it’s not in Ottawa. Google Maps estimates it’s about an hour and forty minutes to drive to the Calabogie festival from our Swing Dynamite studio in Ottawa. But when you get there you can enjoy a full weekend of blues music. And… well, ribs.
Continue reading “Calabogie Blues Fest: August 12-14th, 2011” »
The Souljazz Orchestra in Aylmer
[ No Comments ] Posted by Claudia on Aug 09, 2011 in Jazz and Blues Musicians, Live Music, News, Nifty Not Totally Swing Related
On Wednesday, August 10 – 7:30 to 10 p.m., the Souljazz Orchestra will be playing at the Parc de l’imaginaire (facing the Aylmer Marina) in Aylmer, QC.
Souljazz Orchestra plays a mix of soul, jazz, afro and latin rhythms with strong influence from the ’60s and ’70s music. So it is not really Swing music per se, but still it can be Westie bombed and who who knows, maybe a song or two will be Lindy-able as well.
For more info on the event, please check the park‘s website. This is a free event. Please note that in case of rain, the show will be cancelled.
The Jivewires at the World Exchange Plaza
[ No Comments ] Posted by Claudia on Aug 09, 2011 in General, Jazz and Blues Musicians, News, Ottawa, Ottawa Dance Events, Swing Music
Tuesday , August 9th, 2011: If you work or go to school near by, make sure you take your lunch break from 12-1pm because The Jivewires will be playing at the World Exchange Plaza from noon to 1 p.m.
To quote The Ottawa Jazz Scene, “The Jivewires take their influence from the jazz and satire of 40′s and 50′s greats Louis Jordan, Cab Calloway, Wynonie Harris and Louis Prima, throwing a new spin on the Jump Blues tradition. Hip Hop, Latin, Ska and Rock all influence the band’s original music within the Jump Blues idiom”.
Make sure you bring your dance shoes cause their contagious energy will have you dancing up a storm.
This is a free show. Continue reading “The Jivewires at the World Exchange Plaza” »