Ottawa Jazz Festival
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The Ottawa Jazz Festival is a music festival held annually in Ottawa, Canada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Additionally, it features new and emerging talent covering a spectrum from pop and rock to lush harmonies.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> While jazz is the core focus, the festival also includes music from genres such<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as such as blues, rock and indie.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In previous years, the event has drawn up to 300,000 visitors and featured over 850 artists and more than 100 concerts.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2007, Dave Brubeck attracted nearly 10,000 fans (filling the park) to a crowd-thrilling show.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Brubeck returned in 2010 to play with the National Arts Centre Orchestra.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In place of the event, a virtual concert series named Tenacity was streamed to both domestic and international audiences.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2024, Petr Cancura, who had been the festival's artistic director, became festival executive director as well.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Since 2009, the festival has brought in over $448 million in tourism spending as of 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Programming
From 1990 to 2010, the wide-ranging but jazz-centred sound of the festival was the work of the festival's knowledgeable programming director, Jacques Émond.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Petr Cancura took over the role in 2011.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>