Known for ice sculpture and skating on the canal, Winterlude hasn’t necessarily always been a key destination for the musically oriented. The JazzFest’s Petr Cancura is hoping to change that with this year’s Winter Jazzfest. We got some answers from Petr on what you can expect at the festival and why he thought jazz might be just what the Ottawa winter needs.
Apartment613: I understand that this Winter Jazzfest is based on a similar event that takes place in New York. What was your inspiration to try to bring an event like this to Ottawa?
Petr: The inspiration came from New York. This time of year is usually down-time for everyone… pretty much half way between Festival seasons and people are ready for music. The energy in the West Village during the NYC version of this festival is dynamite, the whole jazz crowd is out and the streets are bustling with fans and musicians alike. Everything is within walking distance and you can check out whatever you’d like. Any festival always makes musicians play great and the community aspect that is created is key. You can just feel it inside every club those three days. So the idea in Ottawa was simple… to put on three days of shows in intimate settings, involve all kinds of musicians, from local to international, and use different venues that are all within walking distance. I think people are ready to fight the cold and ready for some inspiration!
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