“If you can figure out how to pack more entertainment into two hours than Ladysmith Black Mambazo, using nothing more high-tech than the power of the human voice, and some microphones, well, I’m all ears.” – Pittsburgh Tribune! The 44thOttawa Jazz Festival is a little more than 4 months away. To lighten our hearts and souls after the long, dark, cold months, the Festival is delighted to present the fabled Ladysmith Black Mambazo in a Benefit Concert & Social on April 3, 2024, 6:30pm at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre (355 Cooper St. on the corner of Cooper and O’Connor Streets ..read more

Catherine O’Grady, seen here with her beloved dog Maisie, is retiring after 28 years at the helm of the Ottawa Jazz Festival. PHOTO BY JULIE OLIVER / Postmedia By Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen, Full Article When Catherine O’Grady met Aretha Franklin, the Ottawa Jazz Festival’s executive producer had one last bit of business to conduct before the Queen of Soul would sing her heart out in Confederation Park. On that warm June 2014 night, a sold-out crowd of about 12,000 was crammed into the park, waiting for Franklin. But O’Grady needed to pay the musical legend in full before she wou ..read more

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays from the OJF Family! Our offices are now closed and will reopen on January 8th, 2024. We can’t wait to share some exciting announcements with you in the New Year! For last minute gift ideas, send the music lover in your life to the Ottawa Jazz Festival from June 21 – 30, 2024. E-Gift Cards are now available. BUY NOW ..read more

CNN designates Ottawa as one of the top 23 cities and highlights the Ottawa Jazz Festival. CKCU FM 93.1 Host Joe Reilly interviews legendary guitarist Bill Frisell prior to his Winter Jazz Fest appearance. (count 34:00) CBC’s All in a Day host Alan Neal interviews the Festival’s Program Director Petr Cancura. CBC’s Ottawa Morning host Robyn Bresnahan interviews Deniz Lim-Sersan of Primary Colours. CBC Host Hallie Cotnam interviews Primary Colours after meeting their musical idol Herbie Hancock. Petr Cancura teaches CTV Ottawa Morning Host Annette Goerner how to play ..read more

Looking for that perfect gift? Ottawa Jazz Festival E-Gift Cards are now available! Send the music lover in your life to the Ottawa Jazz Festival, June 23-30, 2024. Buy Now ..read more

After an extensive executive search, the Ottawa Jazz Festival’s (OJF) Board of Directors is delighted to announce the appointment of Jody Larose as its new Executive Director. “I am thrilled to welcome our new Executive Director to usher in a new era for the OJF and work collaboratively with our corporate, government, and community stakeholders,” said Adam Douglas, Board President of OJF. “Jody emerged as the clear choice to lead the organization into a future of advancement and growth. Her track record of successful leadership, combined with her deep cultural sector knowledge and commitment ..read more

The Ottawa Jazz Festival’s Programming Director Petr Cancura arranged for Ottawa’s Primary Colours to perform in its new Homegrown Club Series as part of the 2023 Festival – a free series that took place all week at local clubs around the City as a way to give back to local businesses, artists and the community. CBC Radio’s All in a Day host Robyn Bresnahan interviewed pianist and band leader Deniz Lim-Sersan prior to the band’s performance. Deniz spent much of his interview time discussing his musical hero, the legendary Herbie Hancock who performed on June 30th. Festival organizers arranged ..read more

We invite OJF Members to register for the Annual General Meeting that will take place on Thursday, November 23, 2023 from 6 to 7pm (EST) via Zoom teleconference. Registration to attend is now open until Friday, November 17, 2023. To RSVP your attendance, please email Michael Lane at contact@ottawajazzfestival.com. The Zoom meeting credentials along with the AGM Package Booklet and  Financial Statements will be shared with registered participants on the day of the AGM. OJF Board of Directors and staff need not register. Please view the following documents: Nomination and Proxy forms 2023 A ..read more

The 2023 Stingray Jazz Youth Summit participants from left to right: Mike Tremblay (Program Director): Mason Jeffrey-Off (bass); Dylan Cudmore (drums); Omar Yazaw (tenor sax), Leah Reavie (alto sax), James Greer (piano), Duncan Hunter Neale (trumpet), Joel Oppong-Boateng (drums), Ramel Bautista (guitar), Eric Wallace (baritone sax), and Petr Cancura (Ottawa Jazz Festival Programming Director).Nine students selected for a once in a lifetime musical journey… Music students from high schools and universities across Ottawa were invited to apply and participate in The Stingray Jazz Youth Summit, an ..read more

..read more