Afrobeats jazz quintet aims to bring people and music together in a happy blend
The John Dapaah Quintet is sharing their unique fusion of African music and jazz with Ottawa this summer. “With every song we do, we try to mix it up in a sense. We kind of throw a popular song in there that the audience might not be expecting,” said John Kofi Dapaah, director and pianist of the quintet. “An example...
City seeks public input for five-year plan to transform Ottawa’s cultural life
The City of Ottawa has begun a major public consultation aimed at creating a new five-year plan for the development of the capital’s cultural life. “This is the first city-wide cultural planning exercise since 2012 and aims to help the city better serve the evolving needs of Ottawa’s culturally diverse populations,” according to the official announcement in late March. Everything...
Music Week to boost capital’s bid to be ‘Nashville North’ nighttime hotspot
Ottawa band Whiskey River played a live show at the Lowertown Brewery in the Byward Market on March 8. . [Photo © Gavin Ramnauth
Ottawa artists celebrate a ‘deep’ and ‘nuanced’ culture during Black History Month
As Black History Month winds down, many artists are gratified for the opportunity to celebrate Black contributions to the arts and to reflect on the work of those who came before.
NAC Orchestra plans landmark spring tour to South Korea, Japan
The National Arts Centre Orchestra is to embark on a monumental tour this spring, including its debut in South Korea and a return to Japan for the first time in 40 years. The orchestra has performed in every Canadian province and territory, but it is also known as one of the most accessible and collaborative orchestras in the world. This...
Harmony and Home: Persian music event unites local Farsi speakers
On a bitterly cold Sunday night in downtown Ottawa, Shirin Ghodrati stepped through the doors of Bronson Centre, her breath curling in the frosty air. Just four months into her new life in Canada, she had more than the weight of winter on her shoulders; she carried a longing for connection. Drawn by the soul-stirring melodies of a Persian music...
A question of space: Jazz in Ottawa needs more and better venues, performers and fans say
Ottawa's need for dedicated jazz spaces is apparent to local artists, who find it 'disappointing and sad' that there are so few places to hear and be heard.
Members of Nightlife Council eager for a community approach to promoting Ottawa’s culture
Recently-announced volunteer members of Ottawa’s Nightlife Council say they are looking to highlight and promote the city’s cultural and artistic diversity, as well as safety, in their inaugural term.
City Builder: Mark Monahan’s musical road has built an important legacy
Mark Monahan is the visionary behind Ottawa's very own Bluesfest.
Music students have a message: Female classical composers matter
In concert halls around the Western world, classical music remains overwhelmingly male-dominated, but a concert held at the University of Ottawa is a reminder that female composers have also made important contributions to the art and must not be ignored.
Ottawa concert series celebrates female artists, who remain under represented
A female concert series in Ottawa is a reminder to popular music fans that women still have a long way to go to be considered ‘equal’ to men in the music industry.
City Builder: Cody Coyote is a powerful Indigenous voice on the Ottawa music scene
Ottawa musician Cody Coyote is a prominent city builder, seeking to inspire future generations with his art.