The long-running Ottawa Jazz Festival has announced its line-up for 2023, featuring a full week of jazz, blues, and other music in the city’s downtown core.
Headlining the week is jazz legend Herbie Hancock, whose innovative piano music has been influencing jazz and delighting fans for over fifty years. Another big-name act is the Sun Ra Arkestra, founded by the eponymous “Afro-futurist” legend and featuring a variety of instruments and styles. Buddy Guy, commonly considered one of the greatest blues guitarists of all time, will perform as part of his “Damn Right Farewell” tour. Other announced acts include Lord Huron, the Avishai Cohen Trio, Colin Stetson and Vijay Iyer. Food and drink trucks featuring a variety of fare will be available at festival shows.
The Ottawa Jazz Festival shows will take place across multiple venues, from the Main Stage in Confederation Park to Marion Dewar Plaza, the National Arts Centre, and free club shows in smaller venues such as Irene’s Pub, providing a variety of experiences for jazz fans. Festivals such as this, often using poster printing and social media to help attract the public, can be major opportunities for up-and-coming artists and veteran acts alike. This year will also feature the first ever Ottawa Jazz Festival golf tournament, designed to help raise money for festival operations and the Jazz Youth Summit mentoring program.
The 2023 Ottawa Jazz Festival will take place throughout downtown Ottawa from June 23 to 30.
