# Ottawa Jazz Festival

The Ottawa Jazz Festival is a music festival held annually in Ottawa, Canada. 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." Additionally, it features new and emerging talent covering a spectrum from pop and rock to lush harmonies. While jazz is the core focus, the festival also includes music from genres such as such as blues, rock and indie.
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.

## 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. 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. Since her arrival, management has worked alongside the board of directors and a supportive community to achieve a 300% increase in audience attendance.
In 1999, Wynton Marsalis's group, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, helped the festival achieve a new attendance record with 8,000 people, which helped put the event on the map.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the festival. In place of the event, a virtual concert series named Tenacity was streamed to both domestic and international audiences. 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. Finally, 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.
Under the direction of Catherine O'Grady, the Ottawa Jazz Festival has served as a key economic driver for Ottawa's downtown core, leading to increased tourism and boost to local businesses each summer. Since 2009, the festival has brought in over $448 million in tourism spending.

## Programming

The first several decades of the festival's programming were initially shaped by Jacques Émond, and Petr Cancura took over the role in 2011.
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.

## 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.

## 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)
* The Fourth Stage at the National Arts Centre (Capacity - 150)
* Late Night Jamming Series at the Lord Elgin Hotel - Grill 41
* Jazz at the Castle at the Chateau Laurier