Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest: The Brothers Chaffey are pulling up their bootstraps
As the sun warmed the Subway stage area on Wednesday afternoon, it was with great interest that I found a shady spot and chatted with Curtis Chaffey about his experience playing at the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest this year. Curtis is the lead guitar player working with his brother Matthew Chaffey (vocalist and rhythm guitarist) as part of the roots-rock-country ensemble known as Brothers Chaffey. The successful group has had an opportunity to play for a very enthusiastic audience for 3 years running..and that is exactly the right word to describe what they are doing – finding their ground, and getting up and running!
Curtis spoke to me about how the Brothers Chaffey released an album at the time of the 2009 Bluesfest named Bloodlines. It was their second full length LP. Upon release it received 4 stars in the Ottawa Citizen and 4 stars in the Vancouver Sun. At that time the band felt the level of expectation was very high for them. This ultimately required them to really pull up their bootstraps and work their hardest. The Brothers Chaffey have managed to catch the attention of their audience and are finding success by taking it all very seriously and raising the ‘bar’ for themselves with each new opportunity.
Each year local musicians are invited to perform as part of the Bluesfest lineup. For local performers there is a certain notoriety and distinction that comes from being asked to play in a festival of this magnitude – even when (or perhaps especially when) it is taking place in your own home town. As Curtis Chaffey indicates, this festival is a great opportunity to connect with other performers and observe what’s happening on the local scene as well as internationally. Being a part of it as a performer raises the proverbial ‘bar’ higher in terms of expectations from the audience’s perspective as well as defining the goals of these local acts sharing the stage with some major headliners.
Another aspect of the Bluesfest experience is the free series of “Pop Life” stage shows happening on York Street in the Byward Market. For the past 2 years, audiences have been enjoying the Lebreton Flats concerts and then over-flowing into Ottawa’s Market area for some incredible after-hours shows and celebrations. The benefit to Market area vendors is obvious. The opportunity for local players is also huge, as tourists and music lovers turn out in droves to enjoy an afternoon and evening of music lasting 10pm on most nights. What audiences see when they attend the local players’ shows should be taken seriously, according to Chaffey.
Curtis says, the impact of the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest is huge on the local scene. It offers exposure and incentive to local musicians and an unforgettable experience in front of a massive audience of music lovers. That’s reason enough to give it your all everytime that you step onto any stage.
Watch for Brothers Chaffey tonight @Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest as part of the MonkeyJunk Power Hour Blues jam happening on the Claridge Home stage, 6:00pm.
Video by James R. Skinner on YouTube with permission from the artists
Interview footage shot using Flip Video ™ Camcorder
Tags: Brothers Chaffey, cisco ottawa bluesfest, Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest Power Hour, festivals in Ottawa
