This year's Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, the country's largest musical event, delivers more than 200 performers on six stages over 11 days, continuing to July 13. Pop headliners abound – from Feist to Snoop Dogg to Ray Davies – but tucked among them are bluesier gems, including the following acts. For the complete schedule, visit www.ottawabluesfest.ca.
Nick Moss and the Flip Tops offer resolutely traditional electric Chicago blues. A singer-guitarist schooled by the likes of Jimmy Dawkins and Jimmy Rogers, Moss is as Windy City as Mike Ditka and deep-dish pizza. Saturday, 4:15 p.m., River Stage.
Alligator recording artist Michael Burks is a gruff-voiced firebrand guitarist influenced by Albert King. Most of the year, he sticks to the Deep South, but summers, thankfully, find him on the festival circuit. Tomorrow, 5 p.m., Bank of America Stage.
The blues of Colorado's Otis Taylor are the opposite of dainty. Relentlessly favouring a hard-driving drone, the story-songs of this multi-instrumentalist (guitar, mandolin, electric banjo) speak to the black American experience. Tomorrow, 7:15 p.m. River Stage.
Although he established himself working with free-jazzer Ornette Coleman in the 1970s, guitarist James Blood Ulmer now does riveting things within the blues form. He's not averse to traditional electric fare, but his more abstract work fascinate much more. Sunday, 6:15 p.m., Black Sheep Stage.
Bettye LaVette, by age and commitment, is a soul shouter from the old school. Passionately dramatic in her delivery, the Detroit native deserves all the acclaim her recent career resurgence has given her. Monday, 8:30 p.m., Roots Stage.
