Photos: JazzYYC Canadian Festival to Present Jazz Musicians Across Calgary Venues

JazzYYC is presenting its annual Canadian Festival celebrating Canadian jazz, running November 3 until 8 at some of Calgary's favourite music venues including Studio Bell at National Music Centre, Cornerstone Music Cafe, Devonian Gardens, KAWA Espresso Bar, Servus Credit Union, live music spaces within the Inglewood community, The Attic Bar & Stage, and Ironwood Stage & Grill.

Ticket prices range from free to $65 for Headliner Dawn Pemberton. Specially-priced tickets for $20 are available for anyone under 25 years of age. All tickets are available at jazzyyc.com.

JazzYYC's Canadian Festival presented by Servus Credit Union features some of the finest Canadian musicians playing in Calgary, in Alberta, and throughout Canada including Headliner Dawn Pemberton, Curtis Nowosad, Anthony D'Alessandro, Cory Weeds, Gentiane MG, and Calgaréal.

On Sunday November 8 the free JazzWalk in various venues throughout the Inglewood community starts at 12:00 p.m. There is a free festival kickoff event at 11:00 a.m. at Servus Credit Union Inglewood on Tuesday November 3. Tickets are on sale through www.jazzyyc.com.

Tuesday November 3

Alex Gonzalez, Solo Piano, Tuesday November 3, 11:00 a.m., Servus Credit Union Inglewood, FREE

Headliner Dawn Pemberton, Portraits Of The First Ladies Of Jazz, Tuesday November 3, 7:30 p.m., Studio Bell at NMC, $65

Acclaimed Canadian vocalist Dawn Pemberton celebrates the women who helped shape the jazz vocal tradition in Portraits Of The First Ladies Of Jazz. From Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday to Sarah Vaughan and more, this special performance honours some of jazz's most celebrated voices and the music they made famous.

Wednesday November 4

Curtis Nowosad's Noisy World featuring Joanna Majoko, Wednesday November 4, 7:30 p.m., Ironwood Stage & Grill, $39.99

Curtis Nowosad is a JUNO-nominated, NYC-based jazz drummer, composer, educator and recording artist. Having made his home in NYC for over a decade, the Winnipeg native has established himself as an integral part of the NYC and international jazz scene, both as a bandleader and a side person.

Mitchell Prentice, Plays Metalwood // Medeski Martin & Wood, Wednesday November 4, 7:30 p.m., The Attic Bar & Stage, $39.99

Mitchell Prentice is a Canadian Tenor Saxophonist born and raised in Calgary. Growing up, Mitchell enjoyed listening to classic rock from Led Zeppelin, Cream, Pink Floyd, and Rush before discovering jazz.

Thursday November 5

Tricia Edwards, Solo Piano, Thursday November 5, 12:00 p.m., Devonian Gardens, FREE

Steve Pineo & Laura Jackson, Thursday November 5, 7:30 p.m., The Attic Bar & Stage, $39.99

Steve Pineo has been a mainstay in Calgary's Blues & Roots music scene for more than 35 years. Laura Jackson had the good fortune to join Steve several decades ago playing jazzy pop and Steve's fabulous originals at Mona's Kitchen, Cannery Row, Kaos Cafe and The Wine Cellar. Now blending their individual musical pasts and their shared history with a new focus on contemporary Roots and soulful Americana/Canadiana, their music and friendship has come full circle.

Anthony D'Alessandro, Plays George Gershwin (Album Release), Thursday November 5, 8:00 p.m., Ironwood Stage & Grill, $39.99

Join JUNO-nominated jazz pianist Anthony D'Alessandro and his band for their Calgary release of his third full length album and first album recorded live at Edmonton's iconic Yardbird Suite. Coming out on the heels of his 2026 JUNO-nomination for City Lights, this album will see D'Alessandro and his band diving into the world of George Gershwin, with stories, songs, and swing in tribute to the legendary composer as well as some other surprises along the way.

Friday November 6

Neil Gray Quartet, Friday November 6, 7:30 p.m., The Attic Bar & Stage, $39.99

Described as a Hard Bop Revivalist (Abe Goldstein – Papatamus Redux), Vancouver based drummer and composer Neil Gray's playing carries a sense of 'quiet authority and impeccable timing' (Pierre Giroux – All About Jazz). His recent album In The Streets, produced by Cory Weeds and distributed by Cellar Music Group, 'flows freely with melodic sense, top-of-the-mark solos and jazz purity all the way through' (George Fendel – High Standard Jazz).

Cory Weeds, Hip To Be Square plays Huey Lewis & The News, Friday November 6, 8:00 p.m., Ironwood Stage & Grill, $39.99

One of the great pop songbooks of the '80s gets handed off to a hard-swinging organ band as saxophonist Cory Weeds marks the release of Hip To Be Square - Plays Huey Lewis & The News, due October 16, 2026 on Cellar Music. The new album brings the music of Huey Lewis & The News back to its roots, stripping away the production's polish and rebuilding it as greasy soul-jazz.

Saturday November 7

Keith O'Rourke Quartet Hosts the Festival Kawa Jam, Saturday November 7, 3:00 p.m., Kawa Espresso Bar, FREE

Tendavillage, Saturday November 7, 6:30 p.m., Cornerstone Café, $39.99

As far as defining a genre goes, Tendavillage floats comfortably somewhere in the realm of 'Psychedelic Electro Space Funk/Soul/Jazz'. Based in Calgary, AB, Canada, Tendavillage showcases a group of passionate, talented musicians ready to step outside of their creative box.

An Evening with Mark Lalama, Saturday November 7, 7:30 p.m., The Attic Bar & Stage, $39.99

Mark Lalama is a Canadian singer/songwriter, musician and producer. In recent years, his songwriting has increasingly taken centre stage, earning him recognition from audiences and some of the music industry's most respected songwriters, musicians and producers. His songs look beneath the surface, asking questions rather than passing judgment, revealing the gifts that can be found in understanding, empathy, forgiveness and hope.

Gentiane MG, Can You Hear the Birds?, Saturday November 7, 8:00 p.m., Ironwood Stage & Grill, $39.99

Gentiane MG is a Montreal pianist and composer known for emotionally resonant piano trio music that bridges contemporary jazz and classical influence. With her long-standing trio, she presents Can You Hear the Birds?, a project shaped by connection, listening, and shared human experience. The music explores themes of presence, resilience, forgiveness, and renewal, unfolding through intuitive interplay and collective improvisation.

Sunday November 8 - JazzWalk (All Shows are Free to Attend)

Brother Ray Lemelin, In Partnership with Calgary International Blues Festival, The Nash, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Youth Jazz Showcase with JazzYYC Youth Lab Bands, Calgary Public Library Central, 12:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Rick Climans Trio, Highline Brewing, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Gravity Jam with Kim Szabo's Lush Vocal Jazz & The Streamline Trio, Cafe Gravity 909, 2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Brett Hansen's Confluence, Cold Garden Beverage Company, 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Kent Sangster Quintet, Sunday November 8, 7:30 p.m., The Attic Bar & Stage, $39.99

The Kent Sangster Quintet is set to bring its signature blend of hard-bop energy and sophisticated contemporary jazz to Calgary for a highly anticipated performance at the JazzYYC Canadian Festival. Led by JUNO Award-nominated and Western Canadian Music Award-winning saxophonist Kent Sangster, he has long been recognized as a cornerstone of Western Canada's vibrant jazz landscape.

Calgaréal, Sunday November 8, 7:30 p.m., Ironwood Stage & Grill, $39.99

Calgaréal is a dynamic cross-country collective of eight musicians from the folk and new music scenes of Calgary and Montréal. Through this unique reunion of people and sounds often depicted as wildly different, they create breathtaking original pieces that fuse jazz of all flavours with the musical traditions of Quebec, France, Spain, the Balkans and China.

JazzYYC is Calgary's jazz collaborative, a grassroots collective of musicians, promoters, and listeners dedicated to bringing world-class jazz to stages across the city. Since 2012, the organization has curated over 950 events across Calgary, championing both local talent and International Artists. Programming spans the full spectrum — from solo sets at intimate clubs to major events at concert halls and outdoor stages.