It’s time for the city’s biggest outdoor music festival, the RBC Ottawa Bluesfest. Don’t let the name fool you, this is an 11-day extravaganza of genre-bending live musical performances including everyone from big name A-listers to local independents. Every genre from Mississippi blues to electronic dance grooves and even comedy – all get their moment in the sun here for you over the next 2 weeks (July 4-15).  Tune in today at 5 pm on 89.1 fm in Ottawa or on-line at www.CHUO.fm for an in-depth look at the festival.

If we can catch him and hold him long enough, we will be chatting up the festival’s founder and director, Mark Monahan.  Mark pulled together the very first Bluesfest back in 1994 and we’ve seen it grow exponentially ever since.

We will also be speaking with, Philly Moves, a fast-rising local hip-hop duo who appear at the festival tomorrow.  Their approach is to create a positive vibe that makes listeners dance, smile and think.

To get you in the mood to boogie in the great outdoors on these hot summer nights, I’ll be spinning tracks from a number of different acts appearing at the festival’s various stages.