The TD Ottawa Jazz Festival is aiming to capture the long-missed experience of live concerts in their virtual 10th annual winter festival.
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many musicians have been live streaming performances from their homes, but according to Petr Cancura, programming manager of the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival, these remote shows have their limitations.
“There is something cool about [at-home live streams] because you get to go inside a person’s house and be there with them,” Cancura said. “There are huge limitations in video and audio quality. This is what we’re looking to change.”
The festival is providing six jazz bands and musicians the opportunity to travel to Ottawa and perform onstage at TD Place Stadium at Lansdowne Park. The concert will be recorded and streamed for free from March 4-6 on their Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Organizers gained experience hosting virtual shows when they held TENACITY in June, a jazz event that offered 10 days of remote programming.
This time, performers will be working alongside a team of technicians, editors, and a videographer to produce a high-quality show for the audience.
Adi Cajo, creative director and operations manager of the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival, said having all the performers share a stage would make the remote concert a better experience.
“All the performers will be on the same stage, so all the video and audio that we will be streaming will be consistent. As opposed to TENACITY last year, we asked the musicians to record their own video from home and send it to us,” Cajo said.
“So, we got a variety of different quality of video, different lighting, and different sound. Then we had to stitch it all together to make it seem seamless. This time around we have a little more control, and it should be a better experience.”
Musician Rebecca Foon said she is excited to perform on a stage for the first time since COVID-19 began.
“Performing on stage will be a huge treat,” Foon said. “I’ve just been live streaming from my house, which has been hard and a bit painful. It’s going to be wonderful to work with a technician and perform onstage.”
Foon’s performance will be streamed on March 4 at 6 p.m.
Event organizers said they were originally hoping to host a small live audience of 40 people for the Winter Festival, but changed plans due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Ranee Lee, whose performance will be streamed on March 4 at 8:30 p.m., said watching a streamed performance may not be the same as a live show, but that doesn’t take away from the power of music.
“We are the owners of the history of the music that we are performing or giving,” Lee said. “The storyline, the emotion, and the colours still exist. They don’t go away just because you can’t touch who you’re singing to.”
According to Cancura, not having an audience could actually give the viewers a better experience.
“Not having an audience allows the videographers to get a little more inside and give the viewer a more intimate experience,” Cancura said.
The performers said they are grateful for the opportunity to perform onstage, especially the JAZZLAB Orchestra, who did not play music together for the majority of 2020.
Benjamin Deschamps, who plays the soprano saxophone, tenor, and flute in JAZZLAB, said not being able to play with his band was difficult.
“Not being able to perform was very hard on my mind. My soul wasn’t nourished because I wasn’t playing music for people,” Deschamps said.
Mario Allard, who plays the clarinet, soprano saxophone, and alto sax in JAZZLAB, said he is excited for the opportunity to perform with his band members again.
“It’s fun just to play together again because we didn’t get to do that a lot last year,” Allard said.
Not only can audiences expect a high-production show and a lineup of passionate performers, but the Ottawa Jazz Festival has also partnered with local restaurants to replicate the sense of a live performance.
“People are used to going to a live show, and coming early, waiting in line, getting food and drinks, so it’s a full experience,” Cajo said. “It’s like a dinner and show.”
Attendees will be able to order meals from restaurant sponsors, which include Zak’s Diner, The Grand, and Metropolitain Brasserie.
“When times are hard and we are living in unprecedented times, [what] people need more than anything is to have their souls fed,” Foon said. “People can do this through food and culture.”
Featured graphic provided by TD Winter Jazz Fest.
