About us
Welcome to Note Lovers - Live Music Listening in Ottawa!
This is a group where we welcome you to join us listening to good music here in town. We love local small venues, the kind of place we can chat together before the show. The kind of place we can meet the musicians. Most of the music is jazz, blues, and folk. But now and then some tango, flamenco, rock and musicals. If you are up on Sunday mornings, we do like a classical collection on the Quebec side so check that out. Festivals in summer.
Please buy tickets early when you want to see a show. Small venues with great musicians sell out! Out of courtesy for those on the wait-list, always cancel your RSVP if you are not coming.
I ask that you have a real portrait photo on your MeetUp profile because at these events we really are looking for you. Please look for me, sit with the group, and get to know others who like to listen to live music!
Good times!
Carolyn
Featured event
Stretch Orchestra: Tall Tones & Unruly Grooves at Robo Lounge!
Hey, Note Lovers, it's Carolyn here. Come join us for Stretch Orchestra: Tall Tones & Unruly Grooves at Robo Lounge!
Prepare for an evening of bold improvisation, gritty grooves, and genre-bending jazz with the Stretch Orchestra — a trio that defies easy categorization and makes serious noise (in the best way).
At the core of this towering ensemble is Matt Brubeck — cellist, composer, and the son of Dave Brubeck — joined by equally commanding collaborators. Together they stretch jazz into bluesy, experimental terrain that can swing, snarl, or simmer, driven by deep improvisation and constant musical conversation.
This isn’t polite background music. It’s raw, expressive, and alive, with a sound that feels larger than a trio should — fitting, given that the band members themselves are famously over six-foot-five and bring a striking physical presence to the stage. The music carries both lineage and edge: a Brubeck sensibility refracted through modern, risk-taking jazz that’s earned serious recognition while still sounding untamed.
This is jazz that refuses to behave — and that’s exactly the point.
Featured musicians
🎷 Matt Brubeck — bassist, composer, and son of the legendary Dave Brubeck, carrying one of jazz’s most influential bloodlines forward
🎸 Kevin Breit — fearless guitarist and sonic shapeshifter
🥁 Jesse Stewart — explosive, genre-defying percussionist (three lines from eventbrite)
Date: Friday May 1, 2026
Location Robo Lounge Café. 275 Carling Ave Ground Floor, Ottawa, ON K1S 5Y2. (Although the street address is 275 Carling Ave., there’s also an entrance on Cambridge Street South.)
Time: 8-10-pm. Show up early. Get a nice seat. Chat.
Tickets : 27$ (I recommend stage side seats- much better. seats on the other side are only $17.) BUY YOUR TICKET FOR THE FRIDAY MAY 1st HERE! (do not just show up)
Please be sure that your Meetup profile has your portrait photo because then we'll be looking for you also. Please **RSVP to this meetup group if you're coming and cancel your RSVP if you change your mind. **
Good times!
Upcoming events
15
Ottawa Jazz Orchestra: My Fair Lady Goes to Town at NAC 4th Stage!
NAC 1 Elgin Street Fourth stage, 1 Elgin Street Fourth stage,, Ottawa, ON, CAHey Note Lovers, it's Carolyn here. Come join us for Ottawa Jazz Orchestra: My Fair Lady Goes to Town at NAC 4th Stage!
Date: Thursday Feb 12 2025
**BUY THE CORRECT EVENING- THURSDAY**
BUY YOUR TICKET HERE! 45$ purchase online, in person at the NAC Box Office, or by calling the box office at (613) 947-7000 x620.My Fair Lady Goes to Town
Prepare for an extraordinary evening of big band excellence! The Ottawa Jazz Orchestra presents a thrilling programme featuring two remarkable suites, each lending unique sounds and styles.
Our programme begins with an exquisite “appetizer”: a delightful nonet suite penned by composer Terry Vosbein. This charming work comprises eight distinct musical creations, written for a unique 9-piece band with pairings of alto and baritone saxophones, trumpet and trombone, and French horn and tuba, all supported by a dynamic piano trio.
For our grand “main course,” we’re excited to serve up the incredible “My Fair Lady – My Way” suite, penned by the brilliant Johnny Richards. This astonishing reinterpretation of Lerner and Loewe’s beloved musical is brought to life by an 18-piece big band with a truly unique sound. Richards, a prolific Mexican-born composer, was renowned for his work with Stan Kenton and his contributions to film and television scores. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: the music for this performance has been meticulously prepared from the original, handwritten, and unpublished scores. Don’t miss this rare gem of lost music, brought to vivid life on stage!Time: Show up at 7:30. Be on time to sit with the group! There will be a line up. Music is 8pm.
Location: Fourth Stage. NAC -National Arts Centre 1 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K1P 5W1
It’s a lovely venue with tables for four. We’ll get a few of those in a bunch and enjoy a drink before the performance. Photo of me below and I'll update it with what I'll wear closer to the date. Please be sure that your Meetup profile has your portrait photo because then we'll be looking for you also. Please **RSVP to this meetup group if you're coming and cancel your RSVP if you change your mind. **
Good times!
17 attendees
Love Songs & Late Nights for everyone: Peter Woods Live at Robo Lounge!
Robo Lounge Ottawa, 275 Carling Ave Ground Floor, Ottawa, ON, CAHey, Note Lovers, it's Carolyn here. Come join us for Love Songs & Late Nights: Peter Woods Live at Robo Lounge!
Peter Woods: “is an Ottawa-based saxophonist whose sound blends bluesy swing with warmth and lyricism. A longtime presence in Canada’s jazz scene, he has performed at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival and in venues ranging from intimate lounges to festival stages. His playing is conversational and soulful, marked by decades of collaboration with top musicians. Whether in duo, trio, or larger ensembles, Woods brings a deep joy and generosity to the music.
A minister in the United Church of Canada, Woods seamlessly blends his spiritual vocation with his passion for music.” (from petewoods.ca/bio)Come spend the evening together with us whether you are a group of one, two, or any number!
Featured musicians
Pete Woods, sax
Tim Jackson, guitar and voice
Chris Pond, double bass
José García, drumsDate: Saturday Feb 14, 2026
Location Robo Lounge Café. 275 Carling Ave Ground Floor, Ottawa, ON K1S 5Y2. (Although the street address is 275 Carling Ave., there’s also an entrance on Cambridge Street South.)
Time: 7-10-pm. Show up early. Get a nice seat. Chat.
Tickets : 23$ (only 50 are being sold. So get a ticket right away.)
BUY YOUR TICKET HERE!
Please be sure that your Meetup profile has your portrait photo because then we'll be looking for you also. Please **RSVP to this meetup group if you're coming and cancel your RSVP if you change your mind. **Good times!
30 attendees
Canadian Jazz Pianist Jeremy Ledbetter at Meridian Theatre!
Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe, 101 Centrepointe Dr, Nepean, ON, CAHey, Note Lovers, it's Carolyn here. Come join us for Canadian Jazz Pianist Jeremy Ledbetter at Meridian Theatre!
The Jeremy Ledbetter Trio is a force of nature—blurring the lines between jazz and world music with a fearless, high-voltage sound. The experience of seeing them live can only be described as exhilarating and utterly unforgettable.
Jeremy Ledbetter
The trio is led by the visionary Canadian-born pianist Jeremy Ledbetter on piano. Known as a fiery, passionate performer whose music knows no boundaries, he features prominently on Canada's jazz and world music scene. His compositions are wildly creative and deeply emotional. At Ledbetter’s hands, the piano roars, whispers, cries, and laughs, telling stories as only he can, evoking cinematic images in the listener’s mind***.***Featured musicians
Rich Brown on Bass
Marito Marques on Drums
Date: Thursday February 19, 2026
Location Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe, 101 Centrepointe Dr, Nepean, ON K2G 5K7
Time: I’ll arrive by 7:30 and you should too to chat before the show. The show is 8:00-9:30ish.Tickets : 30$. READ THIS. BUY A FIRST ROW BALCONY ticket here! Buy the first or second row balcony if you want to sit with the group. I've attached a photo of where I bought my seat. It's the first row of the back part. My seat is right in the middle. It's called G9. Let's fill that whole row. Please post in the discussion below which ticket you bought so that the next person that's buying a ticket can see because these are individual seats that we are purchasing and it is not open seating. If you buy your ticket now, you'll probably sit with the group. If you buy your ticket later, you might sit somewhere else, but we will still have lots of time to chat together.
Please be sure that your Meetup profile has your portrait photo because then we'll be looking for you also. Please **RSVP to this meetup group if you're coming and cancel your RSVP if you change your mind. **
Good times!23 attendees
Jazz in a Stone Chapel: Gary Elliott & David Renaud at Manifesto Lounge!
Working Title Kitchen, 330 Laurier East, Ottawa, ON, CAHey, Note Lovers, it's Carolyn here. Come join us for Jazz in a Stone Chapel: Gary Elliott & David Renaud at Manifesto Lounge!
An intimate Tuesday night of live jazz inside one of Ottawa’s most unique heritage spaces.
All Saints Ottawa is a beautifully restored 1900s stone church that’s been reimagined as a modern gathering place. Inside, you’ll find Working Title restaurant and, downstairs, the cozy Manifesto Lounge — a tucked-away bar with warm lighting, exposed stone walls, and perfect listening-room acoustics.
We’ll hear:
- Gary Elliott – guitar
- David Renaud – reeds, mostly clarinet
Expect relaxed, conversational jazz in a comfortable lounge setting — drinks, good company, and great music without the noise or crowds.
A hidden-gem venue and a perfect midweek hang.Date: Tuesday Feb 24, 2026
Location : allsaints Event Venue / Working Title / Manifesto Lounge,
330 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa, ON K1N 6P9. It's a heritage building. Go in via Working Title.... Manifesto Lounge is the lounge/bar area within the venue.Time: 7-9-pm.
Tickets: $0.00 Free entry. You can buy a drink etc. There is no cover or ticket to buy. And you don't need to reserve unless you want to. There's a nice restaurant section (called Working Title) (Info on the location here) or the drop-in and just see the show area (called Manifesto Lounge) where you can buy and drink / snack, sit in a group, and enjoy the music. (The music area "Manifesto Lounge" holds a max of 50 people, and the restaurant section holds more. You can hear the music from the restaurant area, but not see the musicians.)
Please be sure that your Meetup profile has your portrait photo because then we'll be looking for you also. Please **RSVP to this meetup group if you're coming and cancel your RSVP if you change your mind. **
Good times!
35 attendees
Past events
273
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