Ottawa Jazz Festival – Made in Canada

For 45 years, the Ottawa Jazz Festival has been a big part of the Canadian jazz community, proudly celebrating the talent and innovation of musicians from across the country. Each year, the city comes alive with the sound of over 350 Canadian artists, transforming downtown Ottawa into a hub of rhythm, creativity, and connection.

This rich tradition continues from June 20 to June 29, 2025, as the Festival once again shines a national spotlight on Canadian jazz with a stellar lineup that stretches from coast to coast to coast. From the electrifying energy of Main Stage headliners to the boundary-pushing brilliance of artists featured throughout each series, the 2025 edition promises an unforgettable musical journey.

Not just performers – they’re award-winning artists, renowned composers, dynamic conductors, and passionate educators from some of the top music institutions in the world. They’re improvisers and innovators defining the sound of Canadian jazz today – and tomorrow.

And the celebration doesn’t stop there. Stay tuned for the announcement of our outstanding free local lineup, featuring some of Ottawa’s finest jazz talent.

Explore the full Made in Canada lineup below, and dive even deeper into the sound by streaming our Made in Canada playlist on Spotify. Let the music take you there.

Friday, June 20

  • Allison Russell – Main Stage, 8:30pm (Opening Night Headliner) 
    Self-taught singer, songwriter, poet, activist, multi-instrumentalist and Grammy-winning artist from Montreal, redefines 21st-century music with her powerful second album The Returner.
  • Carl Mayotte Quartet – Main Stage at Confederation Park, 6:30pm
    Bassist and grand laureate of the 2020-2021 Radio-Canada Jazz Revelation title, his latest album Carnaval, which is a vibrant tribute to Brazilian and Latin music.
  • Christine Jensen Quartet – NAC Fourth Stage, 6:30pm
    Saxophonist, composer and conductor from Montreal, the Juno award winner for Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year in 2011 and 2014 currently resides in Rochester, where she is an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the Eastman School of Music.
  • Tanika Charles – OLG Stage at Marion Dewar Plaza (in front of Ottawa City Hall), 7:30pm 
    A leading voice in Canadian soul, with two Juno nominations and three Polaris Prize long-list nods.
  •  François Houle‘s The Secret Lives of Colour – NAC Fourth Stage, 9pm
    A renowned clarinetest and composer who leads a global ensemble of the music world’s top improvisers including Joëlle Léandre – double bass, Myra Melford – piano, Gerry Hemingway – percussion and Gordon Grdina – guitar/oud.
  • The Bros. Landreth – OLG Stage After Dark Series, 10:30pm
    Juno-winning band blending roots, soul, and atmospheric textures. Come Morning reflects the introspection of the pandemic era. 

Saturday, June 21

  • Peggy Lee with Open Thread – NAC Fourth Stage, 4pm
    Renowned cellist, improvisor and composer from Vancouver. Now living in Australia and performing with Open Thread. Together, the group weaves together music with anthemic melodies, diverse rhythmic structures and a broad range of improvised landscapes.
  • Deborah Davis and Segue to Jazz – Main Stage, 6:30pm
    Opening for Mavis Staples, vocalist Deborah Davis explores jazz’s evolution from Gospel to the contemporary era.
  • Anna Webber’s Simple Trio – NAC Fourth Stage, 9pm
    Guggenheim-winning saxophonist and flutist, and co-chair of Jazz Studies at New England Jazz Conservatory.
  • La Pambelé in collaboration with Axé World Fest – OLG Stage, 10:30pm
    A high-energy Colombian salsa dura band featuring members of Canada’s Legaia Salsa Brava. 

Sunday, June 22

  • Shuffle Demons – Main Stage, 6:30pm
    Pioneering indie-jazz fusion band known for their explosive style and early MuchMusic success.
  • Pony Girl – OLG Stage, 7:30pm
    Ottawa artpop collective praised for their sonic depth and genre-bending live performances.

Tuesday, June 24

  • Prime Rib Big Band – Main Stage, 6:30pm
    Led by trumpeter, composer and musical director Ed Lister, this 12-piece powerhouse brings swinging, feel-good energy to Ottawa.
  • Peter Van Huffel‘s “CALLISTO” – NAC Fourth Stage, 6:30pm
    Latest avant-jazz project from saxophonist Peter Van Huffel, a bass-less quartet that blurs the lines between composition and free improvisation also with Canada’s extraordinary trumpeter Lina Allemano.
  • Polky – OLG Stage, 7:30pm
    Toronto-based group of multi-talented female immigrant musicians offering high-energy performances and distinctive harmonies.
  • Marc Copland & Roddy Ellias – NAC Fourth Stage, 9pm
    American pianist Marc Copland is considered brilliant and Canadian guitarist Roddy Ellias has been described as a genius. Together they bring to their duo a lyric sensibility and harmonic depth second to none. This performance in Ottawa marks their debut as a duo.

Wednesday, June 25

  • Canadian Jazz Collective Septet – Main Stage, 6:30pm
    Award-winning Canadian jazz artists, take a collaborative approach to the presentation of original Canadian jazz on the international market. The Collective’s repertoire consists of original compositions from saxophonist Kirk MacDonald, and trumpeter Derrick Gardner, and guitarist Lorne Lofsky, all specially arranged for this ensemble.
  • Tony D – OLG Stage, 7:30pm
    MonkeyJunk guitarist returns with Electric Delta, his first solo project in two decades.

Thursday, June 26

  • Broken Social Scene – Main Stage, 8:30pm (Headliner)
    The legendary Canadian collective, created by Toronto musicians Kevin Drew and Brendan Canning, returns with their ever-evolving, boundary-pushing musical energy.
  • Carn Davidson 9 – Main Stage, 6:30pm
    A chamber jazz ensemble led by William Carn and Tara Davidson, showcasing rich arrangements and dynamic interplay.
  • Kris Davis Trio feat. Robert Hurst & Jonathan Blake – NAC Azrieli Studio, 7pm
    Grammy-winning pianist and  Associate Program Director of Creative Development at the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, performs with two jazz heavyweights.
  • iskwē | ᐃᐢᑫᐧᐤ (short for waseskwan iskwew, meaning “blue sky woman”) – OLG Stage, 7:30pm
    Cree Métis artist blending Indigenous sounds with electronic rhythms across a bold, genre-defying catalogue. 

Saturday, June 28

  • Thanya Iyer – Main Stage, 6:30pm
    Experimental pop visionary exploring themes of identity and healing on her new album TIDE/TIED. 
  • Magi Merlin – OLG Stage, 7:30pm
    Bold, soulful artist pushing against commercial norms with her latest introspective project A Weird Little Dog.
  • Utopia Ontario – NAC Fourth Stage, 9pm
    Named after a quiet Ontario town, north of Toronto nestled on the Nottawasaga River, their music evokes nature, nostalgia, and introspective calm.
  • June 29 Jazz Youth Summit – Main Stage, 6:30pm
    Nine emerging jazz music students Ottawa’s high schools and universities take the spotlight in an intensive program that runs during the Festival. Many also perform with renowned musicians in the Late-Night Jamming Series at the Lord Elgin Hotel.

Plus more Canadian artists to be announced as part of our free Homegrown Series and throughout the Festival.