We get it: next summer just feels too far away for Ottawans who need their fix of the best in jazz from around the world. So, from February 4 – 7, 2016 the TD Ottawa Winter Jazz Festival returns to the NAC Fourth Stage for its fifth annual instalment! Featuring a tight lineup headlined by the Fraser Hollins Quartet with world-renowned drummer Brian Blade, pianist John Cowherd and saxophonist Joel Miller, Winter Jazz reaffirms the Festival’s commitment to booking musicians who push the genre’s boundaries. “This is an extraordinary combination of seminal musicians to highlight the Festival,” explains Programming Manager Petr Cancura. “The 2016 TD Ottawa Winter Jazz Fest is our strongest jazz program yet, featuring virtuosic musicians from Canada, the US, Cuba and Japan. This will be a very hip jazz weekend not to be missed.” Cancura, a JUNO-nominated saxophonist, also opens the Festival Thursday night, Feb. 4 with his Crossroads band, featuring special guest Lynn Miles. The concert, the second of a series of three commissioned by the NAC, finds Cancura’s crack band putting a jazz twist on JUNO- and Canadian Folk Music Award-winner Miles’ formidable back catalogue. Described by CBC as the "hottest" guitar ensemble in Canada, Montréal Guitare Trio (MG3) virtuosity, creativity and impressive stage presence have won the group raves and honours from Copenhagen to Auckland. They are as near a mortal lock to sell out any venue they choose to play as there is in the genre, leading at least one German crowd to refuse to cease their applause until promised the band would return in a year’s time. Pianist David Virelles’ most recent album Mbòkó, on the prestigious ECM label, featuring Román Díaz on percussion, dominated year-end “best of” lists, including those of The New York Times, The Village Voice and NPR. Exploring the secretive ritual music of his native Cuba through the lens of his years of tutelage with Canada and the US’ avant-garde, Virelles’ transfixing vision of Afro-Cuban jazz has established him as one of his generation’s leading artists. Japan’s Mouse on the Keys music has been described as “astounding, technically complex, yet emotionally affecting” (AllMusic Guide) that will leave you gasping for air with excitement. Their unique dual keyboard and drum configuration and frenetic prog-jazz-funk sound is matched by their elaborate visual presentation, a remnant of their origin as an art installation project. Mouse on the Keys are a total sensory experience unlike any other. In addition, the Festival is pleased to announce that John Geggie’s Journey Band has been selected as this year’s local Special Project winner. More details about the Special Project will be available shortly. Festival passes and individual tickets are now available online at ottawajazzfestival.com/tickets or in-person at the office (294 Albert, Suite 602, Tel. 613-241-2633). * PLEASE NOTE: Petr Cancura’s Crossroads featuring Lynn Miles is a special NAC/TD Winter Jazz co-production and is not included with the Festival pass. Tickets may be purchased directly from the NAC or in person at the NAC box office.
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