By: James Gray, TJ Sider and Linda Verreault
The Ottawa Winter Jazz Festival is much quieter than its summer counterpart. But for music lovers of Ottawa, there is no question it has just as much value. It’s hosted in the Arts Court, a sleek building in an ocean of quiet just near the Rideau Centre. The festival spans three days with hours of music to enjoy each night. In this article, The Sounds of Bytown will take you through a play-by-play of three acts on the night of Friday, Jan. 31, at Winter Jazz Fest 2025.
The lineup included 15 shows and artists such as Caity Gyorgy, the Hilario Durán Trio, NITROTURTLE, Don Byron, Tara Kannangara, and Yolande Laroche.
The Sounds of Bytown attended three shows and went backstage to interview three performers from different subgenres: Hilario Durán, Jocelyn Gould, and Tara Kannangara.
Use the map above to check out our interviews, plus photos and videos from their performances.
The Winter Jazz Festival doesn’t have the same “party” atmosphere of its summer counterpart. People don’t stick around for very long to chat after the show. They filed out quickly, even in Club SAW’s bar area. And the pop-up bar upstairs saw perhaps 10 customers throughout the night. But the feeling within each performance is heartwarming, with its skilled musicians and soulful music. The Winter Festival can give a good account of itself.