From Winnipeg to Toronto: a diary of our 2026 Canadian tour

Six cities, thousands of kilometers, and the same energy: in June 2026, the Charley Rose Trio crossed Canada from Winnipeg to Toronto. A tour filled with vibrant clubs, big stages, encounters with the younger generation, and a warm welcome that still resonates with us today.

Winnipeg, the first breath

In Winnipeg, jet lag was still lingering. Before the first concert, a walk to the waterfront and the discovery of a cathedral open to the sky set the tone: light, space, and the urge to write. On stage, the warm-up set quickly found its audience. We were simply happy to be playing together again and to begin this Canadian adventure.

photos @Colin Corneau

Edmonton, the night that set the Yardbird Suite ablaze

The Yardbird Suite had all the hallmarks of a dream jazz club: round tables, cocktails, a packed house, and an enthusiastic crowd. For over two hours, without rehearsing a single song, we played Dada Pulp and presented tracks from our upcoming album, Au Ciné. The evening ended with a standing ovation, with almost our entire stock of CDs ending up in the hands of the audience.

After the concert, a jam session at the hotel allowed us to meet young musicians from Edmonton and share a few standards. This natural exchange between the stage, the audience, and the local community perfectly encapsulates what we deeply love about jazz.

Photo credits: JProcktor Photography

Calgary, between stage, grill and Wall of Fame

In Calgary, the Ironwood Stage and Grill welcomed us with its grand piano, beautiful drum kit, and unique atmosphere. Despite an initial issue with the sound system, resolved with remarkable generosity by the festival team, both sets resonated deeply with the audience. The Alliance Française of Calgary and JazzYYC were also present. After the concert, we visited the venue's famous Wall of Fame to leave our own mark.

Ottawa, transmitting as much as playing

With Nick Anderson, the new drummer for Secret Chief 3 (I'm a big fan)

Ottawa began with a precious moment: an hour with the students of the Jazz Youth Summit. Their attentiveness, curiosity, and musical skill transformed this encounter into a true exchange. In the evening, we played on the Fourth Stage of the National Arts Centre in front of approximately 150 people, before Stéphane Wrembel's show, with exceptional sound and a warm welcome. The French Institute of Canada and its team were there! Thank you to them ;)

Charley Rose and his ensemble were one of the artistic highlights of this year's Ottawa Jazz Festival. Their music was innovative, energetic, and deeply engaging. Beyond the concert, their work with our Jazz Youth Summit students was exceptional—thoughtful, inspiring, and delivered with genuine generosity. — Petr Cancura, Executive & Artistic Director, Ottawa Jazz Festival

Quebec, the precision of the LARC studio

Finally, the POUTINE!

After the train journey via Montreal and a few mishaps with keys and wallets, we arrived at Laval University's LARC studio. The room, the sound, and the team were magnificent. Patricia Deslauriers, Serge Lacasse, and the entire organization welcomed us with exceptional care. This highly polished and vibrant concert generated excellent feedback before our direct departure for the airport and Toronto.

Toronto, an open-air tour finale

Toronto offered us a final outdoor performance, a large crowd, and immediate energy despite a very short but high-quality lineup check. The audience was fully behind us. Meetings with the French Institute, the Alliance Française of Toronto, and the festival team gave this final date a true sense of conclusion—and the hope of a new chapter.

The Charley Rose Trio was a perfect fit for our 2026 lineup. Their performance was of the highest artistic quality, and their unique lineup of sax, piano and drums provided our audiences with an outstanding opportunity to hear something new and different. —Josh Grossman, Toronto Jazz Festival

What we bring back from Canada

Beyond the miles, the planes, the buses, and the trains, what we remember most is the human warmth. Everywhere, the festivals showed genuine care for the artists. The audience listened, applauded, shouted, bought records, and took the music home with them.

Thank you to all the teams, partners, Jazz Migration, SPEDIDAM, the young musicians we met along the way, and the audiences in Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Quebec City, and Toronto. This tour will stay with us for a long time. As for Montreal and all the other beautiful cities in Canada, it wasn't meant to be this time, but we hope to see you soon!