What we’re about
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
Upcoming events
17
Pierre Bensusan, beautiful finger-style guitar, at the Red Bird!
Red Bird Live, 1165 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1S 3X7, Ottawa, ON, CAHey, Note Lovers, it's Carolyn here. Come join us for Pierre Bensusan at the Red Bird!
If World Music means the fusion of traditional, contemporary, jazz, classical and pop music, then Bensusan is one of the most eloquent World Music musicians of our time. A pianist in his beginnings then self-taught on the guitar, the originality of his style makes him one of today’s greatest guitarists and composers for the instrument. Also called “The Prince of DADGAD”, the Rose d'Or of the Montreux Festival, elected Best Guitarist of World Music by the readers of Guitar Player Magazine! His triple album "Encore" won the Grand Prix of the Independent Music Awards in the category Best Live Album... Since his first performances in 1974 in France, the guitarist has sold half a million albums and given thousands of concerts around the globe, both solo and through numerous collaborations.
Pierre Bensusan is an adventurer of unusual lands. His almost “sacred” music is an intimate and orchestral hymn, a solo crossing on a multi-shell Lowden guitar subjected to the natural elements with sound molecules and finger pulp on an ebony fingerboard for open tuning - an unique and transparent technique, under the fingers of an adventurous pilgrim.
“Listening to Pierre's music is rejuvenating. Beside his extraordinary touch and tone, the notes and melody appeal directly to the tender side of our human nature” Steve Vai
“This is beautiful... Pierre is one of the GREATS!!!” Tommy Emmanuel Cgp.
With only his steel-string-acoustic guitar – and sometimes his rich, affecting voice – Mr Bensusan can disassemble your heart and hand it back to you restored and renewed. As he did to mine tonight. A true giant.” James Volpe Rotondi (former senior editor at Guitar Player Magazine) all from RedBird, photo from PierreBensusan.com
LISTEN HERE!
Date: Sunday October 5th, 2025Location Red Bird, 1165 Bank Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 3X4
Time: I’ll arrive by 7:00 and you should too to get a nice seat. The show is 8-10:30Tickets :*UPDATE - IT IS SOLD OUT*
38$. Buy early: BUY YOUR TICKET HERE!Photo of me below to make it easy for you to find me and I'll update it with what I'll wear closer to the date. *please be sure that your Meetup profile has your portrait photo because then we'll be looking for you also. Please **RSVP to this meetup group if you're coming and cancel your RSVP if you change your mind. **
Good times!
5 attendees
Oscar Peterson Centennial Quartet - NAC Babs Asper!
National Arts Centre / Centre national des Arts, 1 Elgin Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5W1, Ottawa, ON, CAHey Note Lovers, it's Carolyn here. Come join us for Oscar Peterson Centennial Quartet - NAC Babs Asper!
The year 2025 marks the centennial of Dr. Oscar Peterson, one of the great pianists in jazz history and a Canadian national treasure...
the Oscar Peterson Centennial Quartet was formed and will consist of pianist Robi Botos, bassist Mike Downes and drummer Jim Doxas...
For this exceptional celebration, a distinguished guest will join the group. In this case, the virtuoso Swedish guitarist, Ulf Wakenius, who was the last guitarist of the Oscar Peterson Quartet. He certainly held one of the most prestigious tasks entrusted to a guitarist, that of accompanying Mr. Peterson from 1997 until the death of the great pianist in 2007....
Oscar Peterson’s youngest daughter, Céline Peterson, will join the quartet to offer the audience an intimate, anecdote-filled look into her father’s exceptional life and career.
(words from INFO from NAC and photo from his Toronto Musicians' Association bio In Memorium Oscar Emmanuel Peterson August 15, 1925 – December 23, 2007 )
Date: Thursday Oct 9, 2025
Time: Show up at 7:00. Music is 7:30pm evening show
Location: Babs Asper Theatre. NAC -National Arts Centre 1 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K1P 5W1
Tickets : PICK ROW G near me in seat 3 and seats to the right of that at 45$
(you can also get 34$ or 64$ seats if you like)***SEE MAP IN PHOTOS BELOW OF THE SEATING***
BUY YOUR TICKET HERE!If you sit somewhere else it is okay because we'll all find each other to chat anyway.
Photo of me below to make it really easy for you to find me . 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.
Good times!
25 attendees
*nearly sold out* Guitar, Sunday morning at Old Aylmer Cultural Centre!
Old Aylmer Cultural Centre- La Basoche Hall , 120 Rue Principale, Gatineau (Aylmer sector), Gatineau, QC, CAHey Note Lovers, it's Carolyn here. Come join us for CC Classical Guitar Duo Sunday morning at Old Aylmer Cultural Centre!
This is one of a lovely series of chamber music performances by local classical musicians. You’ll recognize some and be happy to meet the rest at a warm, friendly, croissant-and-coffee Sunday morning performance. Come for the coffee, croissant, company and music. The continental breakfast is included in your ticket.
Adam Cicchillitti and Steve Cowan have set a standard in the classical guitar world for their award-winning recordings, commissions of major orchestral works, and competition performances. Today's performance features Ravel and Germaine Tailleferre.
Date: Sunday October 12, 2025
Time: Show up at 10am for coffee and the music is 11-12.
Location: Old Aylmer Cultural Centre, 120 rue Principale, Gatineau, Québec, Canada, J9H3M3
INFO on the 14-Sunday-morning series: SEASON INFO AND TICKETS!
TICKET OPTIONS:
WHOLE SEASON of 14 shows -a great deal: Works out to 14$ per concert including the brunch. I will post them all. You get 16 “any-day” tickets and there are 14 shows. (They “hold one general admission seat” for you per concert unless you call ahead to modify your RSVP number) You can bring 16 people to the first show or go to every one of the concerts with two spares for a friend, or whatever. If you’re not coming to a show, or you’re bringing 16 people to one show, please let Laurie know by calling. The venue holds 254 in Gatineau. The shows in Aylmer hold 130.
WANT JUST ONE SUNDAY? you must CALL AHEAD: cash at the door $26 includes coffee &croissants. You must reserve. RESERVE BY PHONING Laurie at 819-771-6454 so she holds you a spot. Do not just show up. HOW TO REACH THEM TO RESERVE ONE DAY or ask Laurie stuff
Photo of me below to make it easy for you to find me and I'll update it with what I'll wear closer to the date. *Please be sure that your Meetup profile has your portrait photo because then we'll be looking for you also.
Please RSVP to this meetup group if you're coming and cancel your RSVP if you change your mind.
Good times!
8 attendees
GoGo Penguin, hypnotic junglist electro-Jazz, at Babs Asper Theatre!
Babs Asper Theatre, 1 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K1P 5W1, Ottawa, ON, CAGoGo Penguin, the Manchester trio who inspirationally blend jazz, classical and electronic influences, return with a powerful new album, Necessary Fictions, which finds pianist, Chris Illingworth; bassist, Nick Blacka; and drummer, Jon Scott digging deep internally to reach “what we think are our integral, authentic qualities at this moment in time”.
It’s a powerful driver for some of their boldest music to date, incorporating modular synths, Moog Grandmother, and electric bass into their sound more than ever before as they glide spectacularly from acoustic instrumentation into electronica with drums to the fore. Honest and powerful, Necessary Fictions is the band at their very best. (from NAC)
GoGo Penguin are:
Chris Illingworth, piano,
Nick Blacka, bass &
Jon Scott, drums.“[...] powered by fluttering, junglist drums, slithering bass lines and an increasing bank of Eno-esque digital manipulations. Hypnotic stuff. ”The Guardian
Date: Friday October 17, 2025
Time: Show up at 7:00. Performance is 7:30pm
Location: Babs Asper Theatre. NAC -National Arts Centre 1 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K1P 5W1
Tickets: 34-68$ BUY YOUR TICKET HERE!I picked a 68$ ticket because it looks great. Currently we have a few seats in row FF. Try to choose something near this and we’ll probably sit together. Row EE is a good idea if you buy soon! If not, sit anywhere you like and we'll all find each other to chat before and after anyway.
Photo of me below to make it really easy for you to find me . *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 and cancel your RSVP if you change your mind.
Good times!
13 attendees
Past events
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