8 facts about the Ottawa Jazz Festival

_ (via Ottawa Jazz Festival) _

1)    T

he

[

TD Ottawa Jazz Festival

](http://ottawajazzfestival.com/)

is the 2

nd

oldest jazz festival in the country and is celebrating its 36

th

edition from

 June 22 – July 3, 2016.

_ _

_ _

It’s also the 2

nd

largest jazz festival based on 2015 ticket sales.

_ _

_ _

In 2016 the Festival will showcase

875 celebrated musicians performing in more than 100 concerts in the heart of the Nation’s capital on 9 different stages and 10 different series. _ _ 4) _ _ To celebrate and encourage the richness of jazz in Canada, more than 500 musicians performing this year are Canadian. _ _ 5) _ _ The TD Jazz Youth Summit , presented each year, brings together top young musicians from across the nation to receive training and workshops during the Festival, culminating in two performances on the Main Stage (including Canada Day on

July 1

). This year two former Summit participants from Toronto who formed the band Autobahn will perform on the Main Stage on

Sunday, June 26 at 6:30pm

, opening for Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. ** We also offer Youth Passes to attendees under 25 at a 55% discount to encourage young fans to discover jazz! ** _ _

_ _

The

[

National Arts Centre Orchestra

](http://ottawajazzfestival.com/artists/national-arts-centre-orchestra)

’s new principal conductor and Music Director Alexander Shelley will be conducting the Orchestra, in their 3

rd

Festival appearance, on the Main Stage on Canada Day,

 July 1

in a ** FREE ** performance.

_ _ _ _

_ _ 7) _ _ Four new series will be introduced at the 2016 Festival: **

1. The Jazz Warriors Series ** –  set in acoustically ideal indoor settings at the NAC’s Studio and Theatre features some of the biggest names in modern jazz, including Kamasi Washington, John Scofield & Joe Lovano Quartet, Stacey Kent, Myra Melford and Colin Stetson; **
2. The Discovery Series ** – a showcase for boundary-pushing improvisers, international talents and top musicians performing in new and unusual configurations; **
3. The Mystery Series ** presents encore performances of some of the Festival’s top talents in five ** FREE ** shows the day after their initial show but we’re not saying who; and **
4. The Jibber Jazz Jam-Along ** , an open communal jam session happening each day at the Confederation Park Fountain at

5pm

; the Jam is open to anyone who brings an instrument along, and will feature a rotating cast of professional musicians, MCs and spoken word artists! _ _ 8) _ _ Downtown comes to life each evening at

10:30 pm

(except July 1

st

) with the ever popular, urban and edgy ** OLG After Dark Series ** in the Tartan Homes Stage at Marion Dewar Plaza at City Hall.

[caption id=“attachment_36131” align=“aligncenter” width=“625”]

Audiences dance the night away at the OLG After Dark Series[/caption]