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The Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra earns JUNO Award for East Meets West: Connections

Fresh off the recent release of their 9th studio album, the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra (WJO) earned their first JUNO Award win for their 8th album, East Meets West: Connections.

Presented at the JUNO Awards Gala on March 28 2026 in Hamilton, Ontario, WJO took home the trophy for Jazz Album of the Year (Group).

The award-winning album features original works by prolific Canadian jazz composers Fred Stride (BC) and Jean-Nicolas Trottier (QC). This cross-country collaboration resulted in a stunning nine-movement suite that reflects the interplay of different musical perspectives coming together for something new and fresh in the big band landscape.

The WJO is Canada’s first community-based, non-profit professional jazz orchestra. Founded in 1997 and registered as a charity in 2000, the WJO has matured to become an important part of Canada’s cultural landscape. The mandate of the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra is to be an instrumental force in the promotion and development of big band jazz in Manitoba and beyond, through performance, composition, recording and education.

Congratulations to Artistic Director Richard Gillis, the 20 musicians involved in the project and the Board of Directors on this milestone achievement!