The Jazz Room

The Jazz Room The Jazz Room is a live music venue in Uptown Waterloo, Ontario. Shows every Friday and Saturday night, September - June. Operating in the Huether Hotel.
(330)

It's a sizzling night club dedicated to the best in jazz music presentation. Home to the Grand River Jazz Society (GRJS), the club has a dual mandate: to support dedicated local musicians, and to bring exceptional talent from elsewhere for local audiences to hear. The Jazz Room, located at the Huether Hotel in Uptown Waterloo, will be active from September to June, presenting music on Friday and S

aturday nights on a continuous rotation of professional musicians. The stage will be dedicated to the best in local talent on Friday nights (8:30-11:30), while those coming from afar will take the same time Saturday headline. In order to pay for the very high level of talent on our stage, a cover charge will be necessary upon entry (roughly the cost of a movie). Grants and sponsorships will help lower the cover charge, and ensure proper compensation for musicians. GRJS activities include fostering audience appreciation, education, outreach, etc. The GRJS looks to foster partnerships with other jazz presenters such NUMUS, Neruda, local secondary and post-secondary institutions, The Uptown Waterloo Jazz Festival, and more. Come out and experience the magic of great jazz in a prime spot for fun on the weekend!

Thank you and Ontario MPP for Waterloo Catherine Fife for supporting the arts in our community! This grant has al...
05/30/2026

Thank you and Ontario MPP for Waterloo Catherine Fife for supporting the arts in our community!

This grant has allowed The Jazz Room to complete another successful season - number 15! - of bringing exciting, first-class Jazz music to our community!

Saturday night at The Jazz Room the award-winning Philippe Lemm Trio will hit our stage!Winner of the International B-Ja...
05/28/2026

Saturday night at The Jazz Room the award-winning Philippe Lemm Trio will hit our stage!

Winner of the International B-Jazz Competition and Winner of Best Solist Prize. The Philippe Lemm Trio is continually proving to be one of the most exciting and electrifying jazz trio’s around today. Led at the helm by drummer Philippe Lemm, the group met in New York in 2011, and after one session together, realized that their undeniable chemistry was one that needed to be taken and shared with the world.

Comprised of three musicians with exceptional command of their instruments, the group’s repertoire draws heavily from re-imaginations of jazz standards in a way that both defies genre and corresponds to any modern jazz fan. The group uses their trust and understanding of one another’s musical tendencies to create passionate musical soundscapes, which range from traditional jazz to the progressive rock/classical-influenced music. Hearing the trio is a special and unforgettable experience, and you will be captivated after listening to one piece.”

The trio has performed on stages like: North Sea Jazz Festival, Blue Note Note NYC, Kennedy Center, Ronnie Scotts, Pori Jazz Festival and Concertgebouw

Friday night at The Jazz Room, you're not going to want to miss Caleb Khuu!Caleb Khuu presents an electrifying night of ...
05/27/2026

Friday night at The Jazz Room, you're not going to want to miss Caleb Khuu!

Caleb Khuu presents an electrifying night of jazz, blues, funk, and everything in between. Featuring an exceptional trio performing original music alongside fresh, masterful reinterpretations of beloved tunes, this is a night you won’t want to miss!

Caleb Khuu is a dynamic and versatile multi-instrumentalist based in the Kitchener–Waterloo region. A first-call session musician and sideman for over a dozen artists, he has performed to audiences of 3000+ and made more than 100 appearances in the past year alone. His work spans genres including pop, funk, hip hop, alternative rock, folk, country, and jazz. He shares his passion as a jazz guitar instructor at the University of Guelph and through his private teaching studio, mentoring the next generation of musicians. He is proud to be an endorsed artist with D’Addario.

Another Thursday night Soul night at The Jazz Room, with Jeliz!Jeliz (Jill Zadeh) is excited to return to the Jazz Room ...
05/26/2026

Another Thursday night Soul night at The Jazz Room, with Jeliz!

Jeliz (Jill Zadeh) is excited to return to the Jazz Room following a well-received show last season, for another unforgettable evening of soul/R&B covers and originals, including her latest releases!

Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, her journey took a pivotal turn in Los Angeles, where her powerhouse vocals landed her a place on tour with Janet Jackson. That breakout moment led to years of performing and recording with some of the industry’s biggest names, including Christina Aguilera, Maroon 5, Brandy, Gladys Knight, Diana Ross, Sting, and three seasons of NBC’s The Voice. While her voice became a fixture behind the scenes, Jeliz always knew she had something more to say.

In 2022, she took a leap—relocating to Toronto to launch her solo career and dive into the city’s vibrant, multicultural music scene. Her debut single ‘Good Old-Fashioned Love’ arrived in April 2024, offering a rich blend of R&B, funk, and pop, and introducing the world to her heartfelt storytelling and magnetic voice. Since then, Jeliz has continued to release music that resonates. Her follow-up singles ‘In The Shadows’ and ‘My Heart Won’t Change Its Mind ‘further showcase her emotional depth and vocal versatility. In 2025, she unveiled ‘Yoni’ and ‘Catch Me’, promising yet another powerful chapter in her evolving sound.

Jeliz is no longer the voice in the background—she’s the artist at centre stage, ready to connect, inspire, and shine.

People of The Jazz RoomDafydd HughesKeyboards* What excites you about music, especially jazz today?The kids, especially ...
05/25/2026

People of The Jazz Room
Dafydd Hughes
Keyboards

* What excites you about music, especially jazz today?

The kids, especially their approach to what they choose to play. When I get the chance to hear younger musicians, I'm struck by how little genre seems to matter to anybody. When I started playing pop songs, electronic or experimental music in a Jazz setting, this was a conscious decision. For the younger players I'm exposed to, it seems like Deerhoof comes just as naturally as Rodgers and Hart.

* What inspires you as an artist and musician?

People who care more about about making good art than about rules and chops. People who are willing to take the chance to leave space, ask hard questions, go completely off the rails, while still respecting and honouring the music.

* What has your experience been like with The Jazz Room?

I love playing here. The audience is always engaged and appreciative. It's always good to play somewhere that really likes musicians.

* What is the next thing you'll be working on or doing?

For two decades, I've been a member of a chamber quartet (with Christine Bougie, Andrew Downing, and Julia Hambleton) that performs the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds once or twice annually. We're putting the finishing touches on a recording of the project, and should be releasing it later this year.

Don't miss this special Sunday afternoon concert with the The Tap Room Gang!The Tap Room Gang is a collaborative quartet...
05/22/2026

Don't miss this special Sunday afternoon concert with the The Tap Room Gang!

The Tap Room Gang is a collaborative quartet that brings a fresh and interactive takes on classics and hidden gems from the 1920s and 30s hot jazz repertoire. They have a weekly residency on Monday nights at Steadfast Brewing Co. in Toronto where they have become a local staple for musicians, dancers and jazz fans. The Tap Room Gang recently released their debut record titled “Every Day Is Monday” that features original arrangements of some of their favourite songs.

Saturday night at The Jazz Room don't miss the GRAMMY NOMINATED & JUNO AWARD WINNING Cuban born/Toronto based saxophonis...
05/21/2026

Saturday night at The Jazz Room don't miss the GRAMMY NOMINATED & JUNO AWARD WINNING Cuban born/Toronto based saxophonist Luis Deniz, as he teams up with long time collaborators Adrean Farrugia, Roberto Occhipinti and Mark Kelso, as the Luis Deniz Quartet, performing music from his Juno nominated album “El Tinajon”, plus other selections.

He was a winner of the Grand Prix de Jazz General Motors 2006 at the Montreal Jazz Festival (David Virelles Quintet) and Galaxie Rising Star 2010 at the Halifax Jazz Festival (Rich Brown & Rinsethealgorithm), and Grammy Nominated and Juno Award Winning with the Hilario Duran Latin Jazz Big Band.
In 1993, Luis started his musical studies at the Escuela Vocacional de Arte Luis Casas Romero in his hometown of Camaguey, where he subsequently continued at the Escuela Profesional de Musica Jose White. Luis later moved to the Cuban capital, where he graduated at the prestigious Escuela Nacional de Musica (ENA), the alma mater of several of Cuba’s most prominent musicians. Upon his arrival in Toronto in 2004, Deniz has performed/recorded with some of Toronto’s and the International communities’ most outstanding musicians. .He has been a faculty member at Humber College for a number of years as a private saxophone teacher as well as small and large ensemble instructor.

Friday night at The Jazz Room we're excited to welcome the Yves Léveillé Quartet to our stage!Based in Montreal since 19...
05/20/2026

Friday night at The Jazz Room we're excited to welcome the Yves Léveillé Quartet to our stage!

Based in Montreal since 1984, Yves Léveillé is a celebrated pianist and composer renowned for bridging the gap between cerebral complexity and lyrical beauty. Over a career spanning more than three decades, he has released nine original albums on the Effendi and ATMA Classique labels, earning critical acclaim and prestigious honors, including the 2018 André Gagnon Prize and the 2023 Opus Award for Creation of the Year for L’Échelle du temps.

Léveillé is a master of collaboration, frequently partnering with international artists like Japanese pianist Eri Yamamoto and American multi-instrumentalist Paul McCandless. His work often defies genre boundaries, such as the woodwind-focused Essences des bois and the intercultural Japan Project. A prolific performer, he has toured extensively across Canada, the United States, Europe, and Asia, including a massive 17-city tour of China with the trio En Trois Couleurs.

Beyond the stage, Léveillé is a vital architect of the jazz community. He founded Productions Yves Léveillé (PYL) to produce contemporary jazz concerts and residencies, such as the Bourdonnements Jazz series at Théâtre Outremont. He also shares his expertise as a lecturer at UQAM and co-produces the Jazz@vue television series. Whether composing for string quintets or arranging for renowned singers like Marie-Thérèse Fortin, Léveillé remains a tireless seeker of “jazz beauty,” blending traditional aesthetics with modern innovation.

This Saturday night at The Jazz Room we're excited to present Alain Bedard’s Auguste Quartet from Montreal!L’Auguste Qua...
05/15/2026

This Saturday night at The Jazz Room we're excited to present Alain Bedard’s Auguste Quartet from Montreal!

L’Auguste Quartet is a singular voice in modern jazz: a music that tells, that breathes, that evolves. The group plays with notions of time and space with intelligence and sensitivity. The production highlights both the individual strengths and the cohesion of the group. True to its acoustic roots, this new formation of the Auguste Quartet illustrates a rare complicity between exceptional musicians, where origins fade in front of the raw power of collective creation. The exchange is lively, inspiration flows – free, spontaneous, without boundaries.

For over twenty years, Alain Bédard has enjoyed a prolific career with his Auguste Quartet, which he has taken to the four corners of the globe. Faithful to his original music, the ensemble has performed in dozens of countries on four continents, racking up hundreds of concerts in Asia, Mexico, the United States, Europe, Russia, Africa, and especially in Canada and Quebec, his native land.

With six albums to their credit – Auguste, Sphère Réflexion, Bluesy Lunedi (finalist at ADISQ and JUNO in 2010), Homo Pugnax, Circum Continum and Exalta Calma (awarded by Couleurs Jazz, France) – the group continues its journey with a new opus: Particules Sonores (also hailed by Couleurs Jazz as “best album”), a project both elusive and timeless.

Jazz Jam! This Saturday afternoon. See our website for details.
05/15/2026

Jazz Jam! This Saturday afternoon. See our website for details.

Address

Heuther Hotel, 59 King Street North
Waterloo, ON
N2J2X2

Opening Hours

Friday 6:30pm - 11:45pm
Saturday 6:30pm - 11:45pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Jazz Room posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category