Back in the capital for another event of anticipated shows, the Ottawa Jazz Festival is on from June 23 to 30, 2023, and CAA Members get extra perks. Hundreds of artists will be performing back-to-back on the main stage in Confederation Park and the OLG Stage in Marion Dewar Plaza, including iconic headliners and tons of Canadian talent.
More concerts will take place indoors at the National Arts Centre (NAC) plus the energy of the festival evenings can spill over at the free Late-Night Jamming Series. These night sessions start at 10:30 p.m. at Grill 41 located in the Lord Elgin Hotel. The house band will play into the night, and you never know who might show up for a jam session.
Indie pop sensation Feist is making a stop here in Ottawa along her Multitudes Tour, performing at the festival on June 23. Her new album was released this year and it is described as both confronting and unguarded, as well as raw.
Headline performers also include Buddy Guy on June 28, in his Damn Right Farewell Tour— as a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee he was a major influence on rock legends such as Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.
Experience the innovative jazz of Herbie Hancock, headlining on June 30, that will transport you back to the 70s. With a music career spanning six decades, this Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner has been working on a new album so there’s a chance you’re one of the first to hear some new tunes.
You can also look forward to performances by Lord Huron on June 24, William Prince on June 25, Melody Gardot on June 26, Brad Mehldau Trio on June 27, and Snarky Puppy on June 29. There are too many gems playing over the course of the festival week to name them all.
If you grab a day pass to one of these headline concerts, you’re getting much more than the value of a single ticket, as each provides access to 2 or 3 additional outdoor shows included every day.
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CAANEO Members get a 15% discount on single day passes for the Ottawa Jazz Festival. Single day passes give entrance to all outdoor shows on a given day, with Platinum single day passes also having seating in the reserved section by the main stage.