Jazz Festival Guide 2015

[
      {
        "name": "500x250 Ad",
        "insertPoint": "5",
        "component": "15667920",
        "parentWrapperClass": "",
        "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
      }
    ]

City Newspaper's guide to Rochester's biggest music festival. For more reviews, blogs, photos, and the latest news, check our website every day of the festival.

In This Guide...

Rochester International Jazz Festival

Festival Information

Tickets, Venues, Parking and Additional Information

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Friday, June 19 - Schedule

Friday, June 19 3:45 p.m.: Buckman Heights Elementary School Jazz Street Stage (FREE)

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Friday, June 19 - Musician Bios

Friday, June 19 - Musician Bios Anthony Strong Fortified with an acclaimed live show, a tailored suit, and a grand piano, the Anthony Strong wears the "English Gentleman" role well.

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Saturday, June 20 - Schedule

Saturday, June 20 3:45 p.m.: Gates-Chili High School Jazz Band Jazz Street Stage (FREE)

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Saturday, June 20 - Musician Bios

Saturday, June 20 - Musician Bios 78 RPM Big Band A 16-piece band based out of Dansville, 78 RPM brings big band music all through Western New York.

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Raul Midon

When I reached Raul Midon by phone he had just returned from a tour of Europe. With a vocalist, lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist, bassist, percussionist, and trumpet player in tow, it could have been a complicated tour.

By Ron Netsky Jun 3, 2015

XRIJF 2015 Music Profile Raul Midon One-man Band Mouth Trumpet Soul
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Sunday, June 21 - Schedule

Sunday, June 21 3:45 p.m.: MCC Jazz Band Jazz Street Stage (FREE)

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Sunday, June 21 - Musician Bios

Sunday, June 21 - Musician Bios Benny Green Solo See listing for Saturday, June 20.

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Herb Alpert

It's 9 a.m., Pacific Time when Herb Alpert gave us a jingle-jangle a few weeks ago. He'd been up for hours recording "Whatever pops into my head," the 80-year-old jazz and pop trumpeter says.

By Frank De Blase Jun 3, 2015

XRIJF 2015 Music Profile Herb Alpert Lani Hall Trumpet Pop Spanish Flea Roadies
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Monday, June 22 - Schedule

Monday, June 22 - Musician Bios 12:00 p.m.: Jazz Starts at the Library with Mike Kaupa Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County (FREE)

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Monday, June 22 - Musician Bios

Monday, June 22 - Musician Bios Blue Highway With more than 20 years together and 11 albums to show for it, Blue Highway is at the top of the bluegrass heap.

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Jane Bunnett

What is it about Afro-Cuban music that makes it the very embodiment of joy? Is it the dance of the exuberant polyrhythms as they weave in and out of one another?

By Frank De Blase Jun 3, 2015

XRIJF 2015 Music Profile Jane Bunnett Maqueque Saxophone Flute Afro-Cuban Jazz
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Tuesday, June 23 - Schedule

Tuesday, June 23 12:00 p.m.: Jazz Starts at the Library with Danny Ziemann Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County (FREE)

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Tuesday, June 23 - Musician Bios

Tuesday, June 23 - Musician Bios Aaron Diehl Aaron Diehl turned more than a few heads with his gorgeous keyboard work when he played last year's XRIJF with Cecile Mclorin Salvant.

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Wednesday, June 24 - Schedule

Wednesday, June 24 12:00 p.m.: Jazz Starts at the Library with Mel Henderson Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County (FREE)

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Wednesday, June 24 - Musician Bios

Wednesday, June 24 - Musician Bios Aaron Diehl Solo See listing for Tuesday, June 23.

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Fred Hersch

Growing up in Cincinnati, Fred Hersch noticed that there was a piano in his house, so, at the age of 4, he sat down and started to pick out tunes. That precocious beginning led Hersch to a career as a sideman with greats like Joe Henderson, Stan Getz, and Art Farmer; as a leader on more than 40 albums; and an innovator who has expanded jazz into multimedia and the classical realm.

By Ron Netsky Jun 3, 2015

XRIJF 2015 Music Profile Fred Hersch Pianist Leaves Of Grass My Coma Dreams
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Thursday, June 25 - Schedule

Thursday, June 25 12:00 p.m.: Jazz Starts at the Library with Doug Stone Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County (FREE)

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Thursday, June 25 - Musician Bios

Thursday, June 25 - Musician Bios Ali Jackson Trio The son of bassist Ali Jackson Sr., drummer Ali Jackson had strong encouragement at an early age from stars like Max Roach, Milt Hinton, and Aretha Franklin.

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Sharon Jones

Sharon Jones was scheduled to sing at the 2013 Rochester International Jazz Festival when her career was abruptly put on hold due to a bout with cancer. Consequently, the following feature article was also put on hold.

By Ron Netsky Jun 3, 2015

XRIJF 2015 Music Profile Sharon Jones The Dap-Kings Soul R&B
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Friday, June 26 - Schedule

Friday, June 26 12:00 p.m.: Jazz Starts at the Library with Mike Melito Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County (FREE)

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Friday, June 26 - Musician Bios

Friday, June 26 - Musician Bios Arstidir Iceland's Arstidir has spent the last six years touring in more than 30 countries.

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Ingrid Jensen

If instruments have personalities, trumpet has to be the most audacious and in your face. Maybe that's why not many budding female musicians are handed one.

By Ron Netsky Jun 3, 2015

XRIJF 2015 Music Profile Ingrid Jensen Christine Jensen Trumpet
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Saturday, June 27 - Schedule

Saturday, June 27 3:00 p.m.: Bill Tiberio Band East Ave. & Chestnut St. Stage (FREE)

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Saturday, June 27 - Musician Bios

Saturday, June 27 - Musician Bios Alex Pangman Regarded as Canada's "sweetheart of swing," Alex Pangman has proven herself a talented and learned student of the classic jazz singers.

Jun 3, 2015
Rochester International Jazz Festival

Steep Canyon Rangers

To the untrained ear, bluegrass tunes tend to run into each other, the patterns and loops of notes both picked and plucked can be a confusing barrage. That's not to say bands like this aren't accessible, you've just gotta be on your toes.

By Frank De Blase Jun 3, 2015