Ottawa Jazz Festival
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{{Infobox music festival
| name = Ottawa Jazz Festival
| image = File:2022OJF-mainstage.jpg
| caption = Main Stage at Confederation Park
| genre = Jazz Festival
| dates = June 21–30, 2025 {{Cite web|title=Ottawa Jazz Festival|url=https://ottawajazzfestival.com/|access-date=September 27, 2023|website=Ottawa Jazz Festival|language=en}}
| location = Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| years_active = 1980–present
| website = {{URL|ottawajazzfestival.com}}
| current_season =
| footnotes = Jermaine Holmes - Fri, Oct 11, 2024 at 8pm
Flat Earth Society Orchestra - Wed, Nov 6, 2024 at 7:30pm
}}
The Ottawa Jazz Festival is a music festival held annually in Ottawa, Canada.{{Cite web|title=Ottawa Jazz Festival|url= https://ottawajazzfestival.com/about/}} It showcases a wide range of jazz genres, including swing, jive, fusion jazz, hot jazz, boogie as well as diverse cultures and traditions. The festival claims to bring "a wide range of Canadian and international musical greats to Canada's capital."{{Cite web|title=Ottawa Jazz Festival|url=https://ottawatourism.ca/en/see-and-do/ottawa-jazz-festival|access-date=September 25, 2023|website=Ottawa Tourism|language=en}} Additionally, it features new and emerging talent covering a spectrum from pop and rock to lush harmonies.{{Cite web |last=Hum |first=Peter |date=21 June 2023 |title=At the 2023 Ottawa Jazz Festival, female Canadian jazz musicians are flourishing |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/at-the-2023-ottawa-jazz-festival-female-canadian-jazz-musicians-are-flourishing |website=Ottawa Citizen}} While jazz is the core focus, the festival also includes music from genres such{{Cite web |title=Ottawa Jazz Festival |url=https://ottawajazzfestival.com/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=ottawajazzfestival.com/ |language=en-US}} as such as blues, rock and indie.{{Cite web|title=Who to see at the Ottawa Jazz Festival: Herbie Hancock, Feist, Kokoroko and more|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/local-arts/who-to-see-at-the-ottawa-jazz-fest-2023|access-date=September 25, 2023|website=Ottawa Citizen|language=en}}
Ticketed and free shows are held in various venues, including Confederation Park, Marion Dewar Plaza, the National Arts Centre and select local clubs. In previous years, the event has drawn up to 300,000 visitors and featured over 850 artists and more than 100 concerts.{{Cite web|title=TD Ottawa Jazz Festival receives Celebrate Ontario Funding to enhance programming and increase tourism
|url=https://www.ottawafestivals.ca/td-ottawa-jazz-festival-receives-celebrate-ontario-funding-to-enhance-programming-and-increase-tourism/|access-date=September 28, 2023|website=Ottawa Festivals|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=2019 Media Marketing Report|url=https://online.anyflip.com/vssy/clik/mobile/|access-date=September 25, 2023|website=AnyFlip|language=en}}
History
The festival was established in 1980 when local musicians Bob Misener, Tony Pope and Bill Shuttleworth came together to organize a weekend of jazz music in Major's Hill Park.{{Cite web|title=About - Ottawa Jazz Festival|url=https://ottawajazzfestival.com/about/|access-date=September 25, 2023|website=Ottawa Jazz Festival|language=en}}
In 1989, the jazz festival relocated to what is now the location of its Main Stage at Confederation Park.
In 1996, Catherine O'Grady took over as Executive Producer of the festival.{{Needs citation|date=April 2025}}
In 1999, Wynton Marsalis's group, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, helped the festival achieve a new attendance record with 8,000 people.{{Needs citation|date=April 2025}}
In 2007, Dave Brubeck attracted nearly 10,000 fans (filling the park) to a crowd-thrilling show. {{Cite web|title=Ottawa Jazz Festival Day 3: June 23, 2007 |url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/ottawa-jazz-festival-day-3-june-23-2007-dave-brubeck-by-john-kelman|access-date=March 26, 2025|website=All About Jazz|language=en}} Brubeck returned in 2010 to play with the National Arts Centre Orchestra.{{Cite web|title=Brubeck, Hancock headline Ottawa jazz fest |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/brubeck-hancock-headline-ottawa-jazz-fest-1.883160|access-date=March 26, 2025|website=CBC|language=en}}
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the festival.{{Cite web|title=TD Ottawa Jazz Festival cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic|url=https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/td-ottawa-jazz-festival-cancelled-due-to-covid-19-pandemic-1.4885307|access-date=September 25, 2023|website=CTV News|language=en}} In place of the event, a virtual concert series named Tenacity was streamed to both domestic and international audiences.{{Cite web|title=About - Ottawa Jazz Festival|url=https://ottawajazzfestival.com/about/|access-date=September 25, 2023|website=Ottawa Jazz Festival|language=en}} In August 2021, despite many pandemic-related restrictions, the festival returned for a four-day span of live and virtual concerts with over 50 artists performing.{{Cite web|title=Ottawa Jazz Fest returns with mixed live and virtual lineup|url=https://charlatan.ca/2021/08/17/ottawa-jazz-fest-returns-with-mixed-live-and-virtual-lineup/|access-date=September 25, 2023|website=Charlatan|language=en}} In 2022, the festival made a full in-person return with a nine-day lineup featuring artists like the Punch Brothers, Kamasi Washington, Holly Cole, Cory Wong, Cory Henry, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and more.{{Cite web |date=11 March 2022 |title=Buddy Guy, Emmylou Harris, Pink Martini headline 2022 Ottawa Jazzfest |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-jazz-festival-linuep-2022-jazzfest-1.6379822 |access-date=24 March 2025 |website=CBC}}
In 2024, Petr Cancura, who had been the festival's artistic director, became festival executive director as well.{{Cite web |date=2 February 2024 |title=Petr Cancura takes reins at Ottawa Jazz Festival after recently hired executive director steps down |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/jazzblog/petr-cancura-takes-reins-at-ottawa-jazz-festival-as-recently-hired-executive-director-steps-down |access-date=26 March 2025 |website=Ottawa Citizen}} {{Cite web |date=17 December 2024 |title=Ottawa Jazz 2025 Announces Star-Studded Lineup for 2025 |url=https://www.ottawafestivals.ca/post/ottawa-jazz-2025-announces-star-studded-lineup-for-2025 |access-date=26 March 2025 |website=Ottawa Jazz Festival}}
Since 2009, the festival has brought in over $448 million in tourism spending as of 2023.{{Cite web|title=Ottawa Jazz Festival to boost local nightlife, tourism and economic impact for the city|url=https://obj.ca/ottawa-jazz-festival-to-boost-economic-impact-for-the-city/|access-date=September 28, 2023|website=Ottawa Business Journal|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Music lovers catch early summer vibes at Ottawa Jazz Festival|url=https://obj.ca/music-lovers-catch-early-summer-vibes-ottawa-jazz-festival/|access-date=September 25, 2023|website=Ottawa Business Journal|language=en}}
Programming
From 1990 to 2010, the wide-ranging but jazz-centred sound of the festival was the work of the festival's knowlegeable programming director, Jacques Émond.{{Cite web|title=TD Ottawa Jazz Festival's Jacques Emond (1934-2013)|url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/news/td-ottawa-jazz-festivals-jacque-emond-1934-2013/|access-date=March 26, 2025|website=All About Jazz|language=en}}
A francophone tribute to Emond from 2003: "Parce qu'il connaît si bien la musique, Jacques Émond est un directeur artistique qui ose. A chacune des éditions du
festival, il parvient à concocter une programmation variée, allant des accents les plus classiques aux sonorités les plus contemporaines, sans négliger les rythmes entraînants de la salsa et la bossa-nova."{{Cite web|title=Jacques et Jazz, les inséparables du Festival international d’Ottawa| url=https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/liaison/2003-n120-liaison1130038/41488ac.pdf|access-date=March 26, 2025|website=Érudit|language=fr}}
Petr Cancura took over the role in 2011.{{Cite web|title=About - Ottawa Jazz Festival|url=https://ottawajazzfestival.com/about/|access-date=September 25, 2023|website=Ottawa Jazz Festival|language=en}}
The festival has showcased numerous dynamic jazz artists on its stages, including Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock,
Buddy Guy, The Roots, Earth, Wind & Fire, Salif Keita, Dave Brubeck, Mavis Staples, Roy Haynes, Toots Thielemans, Branford Marsalis, Béla Fleck, Kenny Werner, Stanley Jordan, Sonny Rollins, Terence Blanchard, Diana Krall, D.D. Jackson, Maynard Ferguson, Kenny Rogers and John Mayall.{{Needs citation|date=April 2025}}
Winter Jazz Festival
The Ottawa Winter Jazz Festival hosts shows that aim to foster an environment for creative interactions among jazz artists in the off-season.
In 2023, a two-day festival ran in February and featured performances by artists such as Sarah Neufield, Kenny Barron and Thus Owls.{{Cite web|title=Herbie Hancock to headline the 2023 Ottawa Jazz Festival; Winter Jazz Festival lineup unveiled|url=https://ottawacitizen.com/entertainment/jazzblog/herbie-hancock-to-headline-the-2023-ottawa-jazz-festival-winter-jazz-festival-lineup-unveiled|access-date=October 4, 2023|website=Ottawa Citizen|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Ottawa Jazz Festival recovering but more international travellers would help|url=https://capitalcurrent.ca/ottawa-jazz-festival-recovering-but-more-international-travellers-would-help/|access-date=October 4, 2023|website=Capital Current|language=en}}
Current Stages
- The Main Stage at Confederation Park
- The OLG Stage at Marion Dewar Plaza / Ottawa City Hall
- The Azrieli Studio at the National Arts Centre (Capacity - 300) {{Cite web|title=Azrieli Studio - National Arts Centre|url=https://nac-cna.ca/en/venue/studio|access-date=September 26, 2023|website=National Arts Centre|language=en}}
- The Fourth Stage at the National Arts Centre (Capacity - 150) {{Cite web|title=Fourth Stage - National Arts Centre|url=https://nac-cna.ca/en/venue/fourth-stage|access-date=September 26, 2023|website=National Arts Centre|language=en}}https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents
- Late Night Jamming Series at the Lord Elgin Hotel - Grill 41
- Jazz at the Castle at the Chateau Laurier
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://downbeat.com/news/detail/ottawa-jazz-festival-performers-brave-the-elements] "DownBeat - Ottawa Jazz Festival Performers Brave the Elements"
- [https://www.jpost.com/365days/music/article-752100] “Jerusalem Post - Israeli bands at one of Canada’s most prominent jazz festivals”
- [https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/48029/20230623/music-that-tells-a-story-at-the-ottawa-jazz-festival] "NCPR - Music that tells a story at the Ottawa Jazz Festival"
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Category:Music festivals in Ottawa
Category:Jazz festivals in Canada