(Last updated October 22, 2011)

Now that the days are cooling and the festival season is officially over for 2011, it's time to look ahead to notable concerts this fall and winter in Ottawa/Gatineau.

Most local concert series and masterclasses have been announced in the last few weeks. Particularly notable are John Geggie's NAC series (now in its 11th year) with some fine international and few more Canadian artists this year. The Manhattan on the Rideau masterclasses will have some of the most prominent jazz artists available (for example, Vijay Iyer and Dave Liebman) demonstrating and teaching their art. Carleton University's jazz program is also sponsoring some interesting artists for  masterclasses.

Café Paradiso is again bringing in some exciting out-of-town artists (for example, the LeBoeuf Brothers) and as well as locals. The Ottawa Jazz Festival has programmed  celebrated artists like Donny McCaslin and Ari Hoenig in its winter series. The Avant-Garde Bar is importing out of towners from as far away as Europe.

And there's never been a better reason to get over to the Quebec side of the river, with artists like Al di Meola, Lina Allemano, Dorothée Berryman, Susie Arioli, Karen  Young, and the Glenn Miller Orchestra appearing in the next 8 months. If you want to remember past jazz glories, Ron Di Lauro, Jean-Pierre Zanella, and André Leroux will play hommage to Kind of Blue, while Francois Bourassa, Michel Donato, Frank Lozano, and Pierre Tanguay will pay tribute to Bill Evans.

The Improvising Musicians of Ottawa/Outaouais (IMOO) is celebrating its first anniversary with a CD release on September 18. Two weeks later, the Robert Fontaine Quartet will release its first CD at Les Brasseurs du Temps. They're only the first of a steady stream of local jazz artists who will be releasing CDs (and we know of more releases that haven't yet been scheduled).

The monthly JazzWorks jams have a full year of host bands scheduled in advance. The Capital Vox Jazz choir will reach its fifth anniversary this season, and will celebrate it with a concert at the Aviation Museum. The Ottawa Jazz Orchestra is returning for another season, with more concerts to be announced.

And then there's October 12 – a Wednesday evening where event piles on event piles on event. A jazz fan with wide-ranging tastes would have a difficult time deciding what to  see on that night. Canadians like Jerry Granelli or Turtleboy? New York City's best: Theo Bleckmann and Ben Monder? Avant-gardist Tim Brady? Or vocalist Jill Barber? Or maybe they need to save their pennies to see the SF Jazz Collective the following evening?

There's plenty of jazz and improvised music happening in this city this winter/fall.

The list below is of notable upcoming jazz and improvised music events and courses/masterclasses in Ottawa/Gatineau. We have confirmed these with either the artist (or  their management), the venue, or the promoter. We have heard of a number of other interesting events for which we do not yet have confirmation. Check back, and we'll keep updating this list and our Upcoming Events pages.

September, 2011:

Thursday, September 8: Peter Hum and Dan Rowswell at Café Paradiso

Thursday, September 8: Hypnotic Brass Ensemble at the Ritual Nightclub

Thursday, September 8: Los Gringos at Maxwell's Bistro

Thursday, September 8 & Friday, September 9: Boleros at Night with Claudia Salguero at the NAC Fourth Stage

Friday, September 9: Roddy Ellias solo at Carleton University

Saturday, September 10: Roddy Ellias solo at Café Paradiso

Saturday, September 10: Souljazz Orchestra at Le Festival de l'Outaouais Emergent

Friday, September 16 and Saturday, September 17: Caridad Cruz at La Grange de la Gatineau

Friday, September 16: The John Stetch Trio at Café Paradiso

Saturday, September 17: Bill Jupp Sextet at the Carleton Tavern (A Taste of Wellington)

Saturday, September 17: Ottawa Jazz Orchestra: Swing Explosion Gala

Sunday, September 18: Musical Performance for Jesse Stewart's "Time Pieces" exhibition at Karsh-Masson Gallery

Sunday, September 18: Improvising Musicians of Ottawa/Outaouais (IMOO) one-year anniversary and CD release show at the Umi Café

Tuesday, September 20: Jazz in the Point at Café Paradiso

Friday, September 23: Masterclass with saxophonist David Mott at Carleton University

Friday, September 23: Jorge Gavidia and Sarah Begin at Café Nostalgica

Friday, September 23: Souljazz Orchestra at the Babylon Nightclub

Saturday, September 24: Natalia Cabrera & Montuno at the Avant-Garde Bar

Sunday, September 25: Jorge Gavidia and Sarah Begin at the Umi Café

Monday, September 26: Florquestra Brasil at Les Brasseurs du Temps

Friday, September 30: Trombone Summit at Café Paradiso

October, 2011:

Saturday, October 1: Capital Vox Presents: Come Sing Standards! at Alcorn Music Studios

Saturday, October 1: The Evandro Gracelli Group at Café Paradiso

Saturday, October 1: Erica Feininger Quartet CD Launch at the NAC Fourth Stage

Sunday, October 2: Caridad Cruz and César Ricardo at the Ottawa Latino Festival

Sunday, October 2: Robert Fontaine Quartet CD Launch at Les Brasseurs du Temps

Wednesday, October 5: Stefan Mönkemeyer at the Avant-Garde Bar

Thursday, October 6: CLEAR CD Release Concert at the NAC Fourth Stage

Friday, October 7: Sharada Banman Trio at Café Paradiso

Saturday, October 8: Gypsophilia at the Black Sheep Inn

Wednesday, October 12: The Jerry Granelli Trio at the NAC Fourth Stage

Wednesday, October 12: Tim Brady at the University of Ottawa

Wednesday, October 12: Theo Bleckmann and Ben Monder at Café Paradiso

Wednesday, October 12: Jill Barber - Mischievous Moon at la Maison de la Culture

Wednesday, October 12: Turtleboy at the Avant-Garde Bar

Thursday, October 13: SF Jazz Collective at the Centrepointe Theatre

Friday, October 14: Mike Essoudry's Mash Potato Mashers CD Release Party at the Black Sheep Inn

Friday, October 14: Diane Nalini Trio with Mike Rud at Café Paradiso

Saturday, October 15: John Geggie and Jim Lewis at Café Paradiso

Sunday, October 16: IMOO: Bean at the Umi Café

Monday, October 17: LeBoeuf Brothers at Café Paradiso

Tuesday, October 18: Wendy Lands Quintet at Café Paradiso

Thursday, October 20: Lina Allemano at the Black Sheep Inn

Thursday, October 20: Caridad Cruz at the Mercury Lounge

Friday, October 21: Bamboo Groove at the Shanghai Restaurant

Friday, October 21: The Kandinsky Effect at Café Paradiso

Saturday, October 22: Tevet Sela Trio at Café Paradiso

Saturday, October 22: Michael Kaeshammer at the NAC Fourth Stage

Saturday, October 22: Mumbo Jumbo Voodoo Combo 20th Anniversary Party at Irene's

Sunday, October 23: Robert Fontaine Quartet CD Launch at the Nepean Sailing Club

Sunday, October 23: Lucas Haneman solo at Les Brasseurs du Temps

Monday, October 24: Grand "B" Jazz Boréal at Les Brasseurs du Temps

Tuesday, October 25: The Ari Hoenig Quartet at the NAC Fourth Stage

Thursday, October 27: Rômmel Ribeiro at the Mercury Lounge

Friday, October 28: Masterclass with the Stretch Orchestra at Carleton University (house concert that evening as well)

Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29: Sophie Milman at the NAC Fourth Stage

Friday, October 28: Yves Léveillé Quartet at Café Paradiso

Sunday, October 30: IMOO: Heather Roche at the Umi Café

Monday, October 31: Evandro Gracelli Group at Les Brasseurs du Temps

November, 2011:

Thursday, November 3: Alice Groves at the NAC Fourth Stage

MOVED: Friday, November 4: Brooklyn Rundfunk Orkestrata: "The Hills are Alive" at the Rainbow

Friday, November 4, 11, 18, and 25: Buckingham Buzz Jazz at Café des Artistes de la Lièvre: different artists each night

Friday, November 4: Natalia Cabrera & Montuno CD Release Party at the Lago Bar & Grill

Friday, November 4: Brenda Lewis Trio at Café Paradiso

Friday, November 4: The Back-Talk Organ Trio at the Elmdale Tavern

Saturday, November 5: Tania Gill, Peter Turner, and Victor Bateman at Café Paradiso

Sunday, November 6: IMOO: Craig Pedersen's Birthday Concert at the Umi Café

Sunday, November 6: Piaf et Garland at Les Brasseurs du Temps

Tuesday, November 8: Jazz masterclass with drummer John Riley at the NAC Fourth Stage

Friday, November 11: Violin and improvisation masterclass with Malcolm Goldstein at Carleton University

Friday, November 11: The Jivewires CD Release Party at Irene's

Saturday, November 12: Geggie Series 2011 - 2012: with Susie Ibarra at the NAC Fourth Stage

Saturday, November 12: Fortin, Léveillé, Donato et Nasturica with the Gatineau Symphony Orchestra at la Maison de la Culture

Tuesday, November 15: Jensen/Geggie/Olin Trio at Café Paradiso

Thursday, November 17: Bourassa - Donato - Lozano - Tanguay play Bill Evans at Jean-Despréz Hall

Friday, November 18: Occupational Injuries Suffered by Musicians Workshop at the University of Ottawa

Friday, November 18 & Saturday, November 19: Two Guitars with Roddy Ellias and Vic Juris at Café Paradiso

Friday, November 18: International Guitar Night at the Shenkman Arts Centre

Saturday, November 19: Capital Vox Presents: Beatlemania at Dominion Chalmers United Church

Sunday, November 20: Mel M'rabet at Glebe-St. James United Church

Sunday, November 20: IMOO: Generator at the Umi Café

Thursday, November 24: Alain Caron at la Maison de la Culture

Friday, November 25: Masterclass with  guitarist Ken Rosser at Carleton University

Saturday, November 26: Brian Browne Trio at the NAC Fourth Stage

Sunday, November 27: IMOO: Ellwood Epps/John Geggie/Jesse Stewart at the Umi Café

Tuesday, November 29: Craig Pedersen Quartet CD Release Concert at Club SAW

December, 2011:

Thursday, December 1: Leon Redbone at the Shenkman Arts Centre

Tuesday, December 6: Jazz masterclass with pianist Vijay Iyer at the NAC Fourth Stage

Thursday, December 8: Kellylee Evans at Library and Archives Canada

Friday, December 9: Moonlight Girls - Un Noël swing at Cabaret La Basoche

Tuesday, December 13: Susie Arioli at la Maison de la Culture

Wednesday, December 14: Florence K - Havana Angels at la Maison de la Culture

Thursday, December 22: Los Gringos at Maxwell's Bistro

January, 2012:

Saturday, January 14, 2012: Geggie Series 2011 - 2012: with Ron Miles and David Occhipinti at the NAC Fourth Stage

Sunday, January 15, 2012: Saxophone Day at the University of Ottawa

Tuesday, January 17, 2012: Jazz masterclass with saxophonist Dave Liebman at the NAC Fourth Stage

February, 2012:

Sunday, February 5, 2012: Cosmos Saxophone Quartet at Glebe-St. James United Church

Tuesday, February 7, 2012: Jazz masterclass with saxophonist Donny McCaslin at the NAC Fourth Stage

Friday, February 10 and Saturday, February 11, 2012: Jill Barber at the NAC Fourth Stage

Saturday, February 11, 2012: Kellylee Evans Duo at La Grange de la Gatineau

Thursday, February 16, 2012: Al di Meola Duo at la Maison de la Culture  (opening act: Julie Lamontagne)

Friday, February 17, 2012: Occupational Injuries Suffered by Musicians Workshop at the University of Ottawa

Saturday, February 18, 2012: Geggie Series 2011 - 2012: with Phil Dwyer, Chet Doxas, and Jim Doxas at the NAC Fourth Stage

March, 2012:

Thursday, March 1, 2012: Karen Young Trio at la Maison de la Culture

Thursday, March 1, 2012: Rafael Zaldivar at Jean-Despréz Hall

Friday, March 9 & Saturday, March 10, 2012: Capital Vox 70's Flashback at the NAC Fourth Stage

CANCELLED: Saturday, March 10, 2012: Creaking String Quartet at the Unitarian Church

Saturday, March 17, 2012: Geggie Series 2011 - 2012: with Joel Frahm, Min Rager, and John Fraboni at the NAC Fourth Stage

Monday, March 19, 2012: The Donny McCaslin Group at the NAC Fourth Stage

Thursday, March 22, 2012: Emilie-Claire Barlow at the NAC Studio

Saturday, March 31, 2012: Marie-Josée Lord and Quartango at Jean-Despréz Hall

April, 2012:

Tuesday, April 3, 2012: Jazz masterclass with vocalist Peter Eldridge at the NAC Fourth Stage

Thursday, April 5, 2012: Miles Davis, Kind of Blue: 1959 at Jean-Despréz Hall

Friday, April 6, 2012: Carlos Placeres at Cabaret La Basoche

Wednesday, April 11, 2012: Dorothée Berryman at la Maison de la Culture

Sunday, April 15, 2012: Kellylee Evans at Les Brasseurs du Temps

Saturday, April 21, 2012: Geggie Series 2011 - 2012: with Pat Labarbera, Josh Rager, and Nick Fraser at the NAC Fourth Stage

Saturday, April 28, 2012: Brandi Disterheft at the NAC Fourth Stage

May, 2012:

Friday, May 4, 2012: MG3 at Cabaret La Basoche

Saturday, May 12, 2012: Glenn Miller Orchestra at la Maison de la Culture

Saturday, May 12, 2012: Capital Vox Presents: Blue Skies Smiling at the Aviation Museum

Saturday, May 12, 2012: Sultans of String at the Unitarian Church

Saturday, May 26, 2012: Geggie Series 2011 - 2012: with Joe Sullivan, Lorne Lofsky, and Richard Irwin at the NAC Fourth Stage

June, 2012:

Thursday, June 21 to Sunday, July 1, 2012: Ottawa International Jazz Festival (tentative dates, to be confirmed)

Watch OttawaJazzScene.ca for updates and additions to this list, and for feature articles on some of these shows.

    – Alayne McGregor