CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival

All Headliner Shows Are Free & Outdoors – Plus! Record Number of Free Shows

During this transition year, to provide more spacing for all large shows, all headliner shows will be free and presented on two major outdoor stages, Midtown Stage at Parcel 5, the site of three free shows nightly all nine days, and Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Park, which will be home to two free shows nightly the final weekend June 24 and 25.

A record of 130+ free shows will be presented on 9 free stages.

Headlining this year are Chris Botti, Devon Allman Project + special guests Dirty Dozen Brass Band & Samantha Fish “Allman Family Revival,” Tommy Emmanuel, Spyro Gyra, Robin Thicke, Sheila E., Booker T Presents: A Soul Stax Revue, New Power Generation, G Love & Special Sauce, The Bacon Brothers, and Wynonna Judd. All headliner shows are free this year and open to the public. No tickets are required. Shows go on rain or shine. 

“It is with profound gratitude to all our patrons and sponsors that RIJF has been able to weather the past two years of the global pandemic,” said John Nugent, Producer, and Artistic  Director. “It has been an extremely challenging period worldwide for all live event producers. We are beyond excited to bring the Rochester International Jazz Festival back to all of you as global health restrictions ease. From June 17-25, we will stage another amazingly diverse program for all patrons to enjoy in Downtown Rochester. We invite you all to downtown Rochester to enjoy the finest in creative improvised music, and never forget: ‘it’s not who you know, it’s who you don’t know.’”

“Along with the entire Rochester International Jazz Festival team, we’re incredibly proud to announce a lineup that cumulatively rivals any festival we have put together in our 19-year history,” said Marc Iacona, Producer and Executive Director. “We thank everyone for their unwavering support throughout this unprecedented time. Because of you, the Rochester International Jazz Festival continues to be one of our nation’s finest creative music festivals. We’ll see you on Jazz Street! 

Producers Picks & Emerging Stars for 2022 – Not to Miss!

Be sure to catch these producers' picks and rising stars in the Festival's

Club Pass Series: Emmaline, Samara Joy, Tivon Pennicott Quartet, Ravi Coltrane, Big Lazy, Itamar Borochov, Ranky Tanky, Adam Melchor, Champian Fulton Trio. Giveton Gelin, Immanuel Wilkins Quartet, Dan Wilson Quartet, Sarah McKenzie, Helen Sung Trio, Robin McKelle, Connie Han, Lioness and Sunna Gunnlaugs Trio.

Highlights & What's New

• Opening up Jazz Street - with the expansion to nine days on Parcel 5 to feature free headliner shows, the familiar double-decker Merchandise Tent and Sponsor Hospitality Suite will move to Parcel 5 allowing more room for festival-goers on Jazz Street. Main Street will once again be closed to traffic between Gibbs and Chestnut Streets.

• The world returns to Rochester! The Festival will welcome musicians from Australia, Bahamas, Canada, Cuba, England, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, and Scotland.

• The Hyatt Regency Rochester Ballroom will be a new Club Pass venue.

• The Global Jazz Now Series returns to Glory House International (formerly Lutheran Church of the Reformation).

• With renovation completed, the Little Theatre and The Theater at Innovation Square (formerly Xerox Auditorium) return as Club Pass Series venues.

• Temple Theater shows will be all nine nights.

• Nightly Jam Sessions return to the Hyatt Regency Rochester in a new, larger space, the Squeezers Stage (former Morton’s Restaurant) starting at 10:30 p.m. nightly. Led by Bob Sneider and Karl Stabnau. Parking for the jams is free after 10 p.m. in the South Avenue Garage courtesy of the City of Rochester.

• 5 Free Student Jazz Workshops for music students of all ages will be held from Monday, June 20 to Friday, June 24 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Eastman School of Music Ray Wright Room (120) Sponsored by Wegmans. Instructed by visiting RIJF artists and led by Bob Sneider.

• The RIJF / Eastman School of Music annual jazz scholarship presentation/concert is free and will be held outdoors on the Jazz Street Stage. The program has awarded almost $500,000 in scholarships.

• Hundreds of young musicians from area schools and Eastman Community Music School will again grace the Jazz Street stage with their talent.

• The festival will sponsor two events providing the music to honor Juneteenth (June 19), celebrating the freedom of enslaved people at the end of the U.S. Civil War on June 19, 1865: the Sixth Annual Roc Juneteenth 5K Run/Walk, and the Greater Rochester Martin Luther King Jr., Commission Celebration of Freedom.

• The free Official Festival App updated for 2022 will be launched in April.

• The Save Time in Line numbering system will again be available to save people time from waiting in lines for early shows at Kilbourn Hall and Max of Eastman Place.

Tickets  & Information

• Club Passes go on sale today. A limited number of passes is available! The Club Pass provides access to 196 Club Pass shows at 11 official Club Pass venues. Buy online now at RochesterJazz.com. The 3 Day Club Pass is $194 + $6 service charge. Use any 3 days during the Festival. The 9 Day Club Pass is $254 + $6 service charge. The Club Pass offers significant savings off the individual entry cover charges of $35 for Kilbourn Hall and $30 at all other Club Pass venues. Seating is first-come, first-served. Passes are shareable and may be transferred.

Passes purchased for the original 19th edition in 2020 will be honored this year or at our festival in 2023 if ticket holders are unable to attend this year. 

• Free Shows - no tickets required. All shows rain or shine.

• Ticket / Information Shop Opens June 6 at 100 East Avenue at the corner of Gibbs Street in Rochester, New York. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 15, 16. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. June 17 and noon to 10 p.m. during the festival. Buy Club Passes, redeem Club Pass tickets for Passes, get information, and pick up brochures, program guides, and maps.

2022 Full Lineup

Note to Editors: High-res photos of artists are available in the Press Room at: rochesterjazz.com/artist_images

3D Jazz Trio In The Spirit Of Ray Brown, Adam Melcho, All In Brass Band, Ana Egge, Andy McKee, Arturo O'farrill Quintet, Bad Sneakers, Big Lazy , Bill Frisell Trio, Bill Tiberio Group, Bob James Quartet, Bob Viavattne, Bobby Rush, Booker T Presents: A Soul Stax Revue, Brockport Big Band, Brubeck Brothers Celebrating Dave Brubeck's Centennial, California Guitar Trio, Champian Fulton, Champian Fulton Trio, Charlie Lindner & The Pickle Mafia, Chris Botti, Cinnamon Jones, Con Brio, Connie Han, Connie Han Trio, Cy Smith, Danielle Ponder, Davina & The Vagabonds, Dan Wilson, Dayna Kurtz, Devon Allman Project with Special Guests Allman Family Reunion, Dmitry Baevsky Quartet, Drum Battle!! Kenny Washington vs. Joe Farnsworth, Dwayne Dopsie & Zydeco Hellraisers, Emmaline, Eastman School of Music / Eastman Community Music School Group, Eastman School of Music-Rochester International Jazz Festival Jazz Scholarships Performance, G Love & Special Sauce, Gary Versace Trio, Gate Swingers Big Band, Giveton Gelin, Grace Serene & The Superclean, Greece Jazz Band, Grupo Ife, Hans Bilger Group, Harold Danko, Helen Sung, Helen Sung Trio, Hell's Kitchen Funk Orchestra, Hot Club of Cowtown, Huntertones, Immanuel Wilkins, Itamar Borochov Quartet, Jamie Baum Quintet, Jeremy Beck & The Heavy Duty Horns, Jeremy Pelt Quintet, Jesse Stone, Jimmie Highsmith Jr., Jochen Ruckert Quartet, Joe Locke Group, John Bailey Sextet, Jon Ballantyne, Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet, Jonathan, Scales Fourchestra, Joonas Haavistio Trio, Judah Sealy Band, Kaisa's Machine, Kenny Werner Trio, Kind Folk, Kurt Elling "Super Blue" W/ Charlie Hunter, Laura Anglade Quintet, Lew Tabackin Trio, Lioness, Majestics, Martin Taylor, Matt Savage Trio, McDonald Labarbera Quintet, Melody Masters Big Band, Michael Weiss, Michael Weiss Trio, Mike Cottone & Friends, Mike Ledonne Trio, Moho Collective, Ms. Lisa Fischer, Music Educators Big Band, Nabate Isles, New Power Generation, Nikki Hill, NYC Chillharmonic, Parker Trio, Paul Beaubrun, Penfield Big Band, Peter Bernstein, Prime Time Brass, Ranky Tanky, Ravi Coltrane Freedom Trio, Red Hot & Blue, Reverend Paytons’s Damn Dig Band, Richie & Rosie, RIJF All Stars, Rina, Robin Mckelle, Robin Thicke, Rochester Metro Jazz Orchestra, Ryan Johnson & The Coexistence, Samantha Fish, Samara Joy, Sammy Miller & The Congregation, Sarah Mckenzie, Scott Mulvahill Trio, Shayna Steele, Sheila E., Sonidos Unidos, Soul Stew, Spyro Gyra, Stephane Wrembel, Sunna Gunnlaugs, Sunna Gunnlaugs Trio, Syndicate Jazz Band, Tessa Souter, The Aquaducks, The Able Bodies, The Bacon Brothers, The Cookers, The Dip, The RT's, Tiberi & Garzone Quartet, Tivon Pennicott Quartet, Tommy Emmanuel, Tommy Smith, Tuck & Patti, Tuomo & Markus, Under The Surface, Vanessa Collier, Ward Hayden & The Outliers, Wayne Escoffrey Quartet, Wynonna Judd.

Venues

HEADLINER SERIES VENUES

•City of Rochester Midtown Stage at Parcel 5 presented by Rochester Regional Health and Radec, three shows nightly 5, 7, & 9 PM, all nine nights, June 17-25

•City of Rochester Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park Stage presented by Wegmans, two shows nightly, 7 & 9 PM, Jun 24, 25

CLUB PASS SERIES VENUES

•Hatch Recital Hall, Eastman East Wing (433 E. Main St.) $30 cash at the door or Club Pass

•Hyatt Ballroom, $30 cash at the door or Club Pass, 8 nights, June 17-24

•Kilbourn Hall, Eastman School of Music (26 Gibbs St.) $35 cash at the door or Club Pass

•Glory House International (formerly Lutheran Church of the Reformation), (111 N. Chestnut St.) $30 cash at the door or Club Pass

•Little Theatre Roots & Americana Series (240 East Ave) $30 cash at the door or Club Pass

•Max of Eastman Place (25 Gibbs St.) $30 cash at the door or Club Pass. 

•Montage Music Hall (50 Chestnut Plaza) $30 cash at the door or Club Pass

•Big Tent (Main St. & Gibbs St.) $30 cash at the door or Club Pass

•Temple Building Theater (50 Liberty Pole Way) $30 cash at the door or Club Pass

•Theater at Innovation Square (131 N Chestnut Street, corner of Broad, formerly Xerox Auditorium) $30 cash at the door or Club Pass

•Wilder Room (120 East Ave.) $30 cash at the door or Club Pass

FREE SHOW / EVENT VENUES / STAGES

•Avangrid Foundation RG&E Fusion Stage, June 17-25

•Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County, June 20-25

•City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage Presented by The Community Foundation (Gibbs St.), June 17-25

•City of Rochester Midtown Stage at Parcel 5 Presented by Rochester Regional Health and Radec, June 17-25

•City of Rochester MLK Stage Presented by Wegmans, June 24,25

•Hyatt Regency Rochester – Jam Sessions nightly 10:30 PM. (125 E. Main St.)

•Jazz Workshops – Ray Wright Room, ESM, Room 120 (26 Gibbs St.) June 20-25

•Big Tent – 6 PM. shows only (Main St. & Gibbs St.), June 17-25

•Squeezers Jam Sessions - 10:30 PM, Hyatt Regency Rochester, Street Level (former Morton’s restaurant), 125 Main St., entrance on Main St. June 17-25, (free parking for Jams from 10 PM)