Powerhouse Women Take the Stage at the 2025 Ottawa Jazz Festival

In our ongoing commitment to showcase the true diversity of jazz, the Festival continues to champion the voices of women from around the world. This year’s lineup highlights women as bandleaders, composers, instrumentalists, vocalists, and visionaries –reaffirming that when more voices are part of the mix, jazz only gets better.

At the forefront of the 2025 45th anniversary edition three exceptional Main Stage headliners embody the power and range of women in contemporary music: Canada’s Allison Russell, whose stirring, genre-defying albums have earned international acclaim; the legendary Mavis Staples, whose soulful legacy continues to inspire generations; and the dazzling Samara Joy, whose voice evokes timeless jazz tradition with fresh elegance.

But the spotlight doesn’t stop there. Across every series – from Main Stage spectaculars to the boundary-breaking celebration of sound and soulful connection on the OLG Stage – the Festival proudly presents an extraordinary spectrum of women artists. These are just some of them:

  • Christine Jensen Quartet – June 20: brings the renowned Canadian saxophonist and composer’s masterful storytelling to the stage.
  • Tanika Charles – June 20: infuses soulful energy and fearless groove into the Festival’s Made in Canada series.
  • Peggy Lee – June 21: the avant-garde cellist and member of Open Thread, blurs the lines between classical, jazz, and improvisation.
  • Deborah Davis and Segue to Jazz – June 21: opening for Mavis Staples, deliver timeless vocal jazz stylings with passion and flair.
  • Anna Webber’s Simple Trio – June 21: challenges the boundaries of composition and improvisation with cerebral intensity.
  • Pony Girl – June 22: Ottawa’s own genre-defying collective, features multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Yolande Laroche, whose presence amplifies the band’s cinematic and experimental approach to modern jazz-pop fusion.
  • Polky – June 24: a Polish folk-fusion group led by women, electrifies with their bold rhythmic punch.
  • Balkan Paradise Orchestra – June 24: all-female and brass-fueled, brings explosive celebration from the streets of Barcelona.
  •  Arooj Aftab – June 25: a Grammy winner known for blending Sufi traditions with jazz and ambient music, offers a transcendent listening experience.
  • Anna Gréta Sigurðardóttir & Sigurður Flosason – June 25: Iceland’s jazz pianist, singer and composer is characterized by her soulful melodies and technical skills.
  • Miranda Ceara & The Odd Fellows Orchestra – June 26: captivate with inventive arrangements and theatrical flair.
  • Kris Davis Trio – June 26: features the fearless pianist whose work is as exploratory as it is expressive.
  • Singer-songwriter iskwē  | ᐃᐢᑫᐧᐤ (short for waseskwan iskwew, meaning “blue sky woman”) – June 26: is more than just an artist, she is a teller of stories that have impacted our past and will inform our future.
  • Sophye Soliveau – June 26: reimagines French chanson through a lens of poetic resistance and jazz-inflected soul.
  • Anke Helfrich Trio – June 27: represents Germany’s vibrant jazz scene with precision and passion.
  • Thanya Iyer – June 28: a Montreal-based genre-bender, layers jazz, electronica, and spiritual lyricism.
  • Magi Merlin – June 28: brings alt-R&B attitude and dynamic vocals to a new generation of jazz-influenced artists.
  • Salami Rose Joe Louis – June 28: weaves surreal, synth-laced soundscapes that bend jazz, funk, and dream pop.
  • Nubya Garcia – June 29: the British saxophonist and composer, brings London’s jazz renaissance to life with fierce charisma.

This year, the Festival isn’t just highlighting women in jazz—it’s building a platform that amplifies their stories, celebrates their leadership, and makes space for innovation across traditions, genres, and generations.

In every corner of Confederation Park and beyond, audiences will discover the many faces and voices of jazz. And many of them are women.