Prince has sold out his two club shows in Montreal. (Associated Press)

Big names from the world of jazz are popping up in cities across Canada as festival season begins in earnest this weekend. Aretha Franklin is in Toronto for a free concert Friday, returning to touring after a period of poor health that began late last year. Prince has sold out his two "intimate" concerts in a Montreal club, while that city's festival fetes a host of jazz greats with its annual awards.

• Montreal: Sade, Caged Funk and francophone artist such as Madeleine Peyroux are featured, as well as blasts from the past such as the B-52s and Marianne Faithfull.

• Ottawa: Robert Plant - not known for his jazz chops - kicks off the festival Friday, with his new sound, accompanied by Band of Joy. Pink Martini, Lucky Peterson and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones appear in the coming week.

• Toronto: After Aretha's opening, various Toronto stages roll out shows by saxophonist Branford Marsalis, Los Lobos and experimental jazz ensemble Return to Forever IV, featuring pianist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke, drummer Lenny White and guitarist Frank Gambale with guest violinist Jean-Luc Ponty.

• Saskatoon: Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, celebrating its 25th year, is set to open Friday with a show by Macy Gray and concerts from Regina-born Colin James and Canadian vocalist Holly Cole in the coming week.

• Edmonton: Edmonton has snagged Wynton Marsalis with the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra for June 28 after opening Friday with a free concert of Latin jazz in Churchill Square.

• Vancouver: Vancouver has an eclectic international lineup, including innovative Australians Oka and masters of the Scandinavian jazz scene such as Atomic and Mats Gustafsson.

Nothing like the moon and a little music to shake off the ever-present rain of 2011.