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A common saying you’ll hear frequently when living in Ottawa is that it is the city that fun forgot. I’d like to make a case for the exact opposite and all you have to do is take a look at the summer festival season.

The 37^th edition of the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival from June 22 to July 2 showcases the headlining Concerts Under the Stars series at 8:30 pm (one concert at 9:30 pm) on the TekSavvy Main Stage.

ONTARIO (May 31, 2016) No matter your musical tastes, this province will be offering up plenty of music
festivals this season. Festivals & Events Ontario (FEO) is thrilled to share an exciting line up of this year’s Top 100 summer Ontario music festivals. We invite you to enjoy musical acts from across Canada, from around the world and from your own home town right here in Ontario. With so many festivals to choose, we challenge you to enjoy just one!

Ottawa (Wednesday, March 16, 2016) – This year’s 36^th annual TD Ottawa Jazz Festival takes over Confederation Park and the National Arts Centre from June 22^nd – July 3^rd with dozens of concerts from one of our most musically diverse lineups ever.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been half a decade already since it all began.  Although for the first 4, or so, summers I was primarily the only writer there were a lot of people behind the scenes that ensured that I could get to the festivals and events.  Here’s my look back at the first 5 summers.

In just over four weeks the 35^th edition of the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival will present 780 musicians in 123 concerts from June 18 – July 1. From its humble origins as a weekend of outdoor jazz 35 years ago, the Festival has evolved into one of Canada’s largest and most highly anticipated international jazz festivals.

It may only be May 1 but tonight kicks off one of the biggest summer’s of live music Ottawa has seen in a very long time.

Chad Brownlee – Photo by Trish Cassling for Sound Check Entertainment

To say that 2015 has started with a bang is a major understatement.  It took the independent Sound Check over a year to hit 100,000 readers and we hit 200,000 in just the first month and a half of 2015.

Our top stories of Q1 2015 included breaking the news of Luke Bryan in Ottawa and the 2015 Ottawa Bluesfest line-up as well as our coast to coast coverage of Dallas Smith’s Tippin’ Point Tour and Chad Brownlee’s When the Lights Go Down tour not to mention our unprecedented concert coverage from New Country 94’s welcome to Ottawa party with Dallas Smith to Florida Georgia Line and ZZ Top in Kingston. All of this and only in the first 3 months of 2015.

Here’s a look at what’s ahead from April to June 2015

It’s another day and yet another major Ottawa festival is making a line-up announcement, and no we didn’t scoop this one in case you were wondering.  If you’re working for a living don’t worry you won’t need to send postcards from Italy or cross the rip tide to enjoy the headliners announced for the TD Ottawa International Jazz Festival today.

2015 is a momentous year for the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival as it prepares to present the 35^th edition from June 18 – July 1, 2015.

Dynamic programming and unique international collaborations remains integral to attracting a loyal audience while continuing to draw new audiences each year.

“The magic of Jazzfest, much like jazz music itself, lies in the unexpected – an unknown artist that dazzles, a unique collaboration, an improvised jam that transcends musical definition. That magic happens because the festival is willing to experiment, to expose Ottawa audiences to unfamiliar, exciting new sounds from the world over.” – Jared Davidson, Apt613, 2014