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A History of the OIJF

Last summer’s TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz Festival in 2007 was one of the most critically-acclaimed and diverse in recent memory. Attendance hit a new record at 169,000. 10% of the Festival’s attendance came from visitors outside of the Ottawa/Gatineau area, thereby significantly contributing to the city’s direct economic impact. Our demographics are ideal for the local corporations, businesses and the tourism industry.

What began as a weekend of outdoor jazz in Major’s Hill Park back in 1981, has since become one of the most highly anticipated musical events of the summer in the nation’s Capital. The OIJF started when a couple of local musicians, Bob Misener, Tony Pope, and subsequently joined by the late Bill Shuttleworth. They wanted to throw a summertime jazz festival to celebrate and develop the popular jazz scene in Ottawa. Jazz festivals were still a relatively new phenomenon in Canadian cities, and there really was no grand design behind Ottawa’s first edition.

The festival grew quickly, attracting such international names as Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, Herb Ellis, Bob Brookmyer, Wynton Marsalis and Milt Jackson. Larger and larger crowds came out each year, and the Festival began stretching beyond traditional jazz and attracting new supporters. It also began to expand beyond the borders of its outdoor venue to include indoor satellite events and the late-night jam sessions that are so popular today. Some of the OIJF’s earliest supporters, including arts administrator Elizabeth Bihl, and writer and CKCU announcer Don Lahey saw the potential of the Festival, and worked to expand its scope.

In the mid-1980’s, the Festival moved to the National Capital Commission’s Astrolabe Theatre when Major’s Hill Park underwent construction. A partnership was also struck with the City of Hull that brought concerts to several outdoor and indoor venues across the river. More and more big names were booked. In 1989, the Festival moved to its own stage in Confederation Park. The organizational personnel of the current festival began to emerge when Jacques Émond joined the programming committee and Doug McNab took over the volunteer brigade.

In the 1990’s, the Festival’s programming began to reflect Jacques’ love of big band music and West Coast jazz, and the Festival’s loyal fan base has grew to trust and appreciate his choices, as well as the broad spectrum of artists he brings to the Festival each year. Jacques is also well known for his ability to spot up-and-comers, and has brought such artists as Diana Krall, D.D. Jackson and Dave Douglas to festival-goers long before they were signed to major labels or featured in mainstream media. The Festival continues to focus on Canadian talent and features approximately 200 domestic artists in the lineup each year.

Catherine O’Grady took over as Executive Producer of the OIJF in 1996, and with the combined efforts of the Board of Directors, the contribution of the community, and good management practices, the Festival has since become financially solvent and has seen an audience increase of 200%. The Festival’s big break came with the programming of Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra during the 1999 OIJF. That was followed by two major sold-out concerts in Southam Hall at the National Arts Centre as part of the OIJF’s 20th anniversary celebrations, featuring the Festival’s first year-round jazz programming. In October 2000, there was a performance by the Buena Vista Social Club, and in June 2001, there was yet another performance by the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Tickets for each event sold in record time, and the Festival has never looked back.

With the rising popularity of jazz, which enjoys not only the most loyal fan base, but is also beginning to appeal more and more to a younger audience, the OIJF program continues to expand its reach. The 2003 edition of the Festival brought two exciting new series to its audience, including Women in Jazz and Jazz Meets the World.

We are proud to be part of this continuing tradition of bringing jazz to Ottawa and look forward to presenting you with another year of exciting and innovative music from around the world.  Thanks to everyone for continuing to support the Ottawa International Jazz Festival!