The Rochester International Jazz Festival is one of the world’s leading jazz festivals, presenting legendary performers, familiar favorites, rising stars, and new discoveries from around the world.
The multi-dimensional nine-day festival is held annually in 20 venues in downtown Rochester, NY, all within walking distance, and presents more than 1750 artists from around the world in 300+ shows. Founded in 2002, attendance has grown from 15,000 in 2002 to 200,000+ in 2023. The economic impact delivered to the region now exceeds $210 million.
Navigating all genres of creative improvised music, the festival brings together unique musical sounds from many countries, highlighting international artists' take on the only truly American art form - jazz.
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The Rochester International Jazz Festival is one of the world’s leading jazz festivals, presenting legendary performers, familiar favorites, rising stars, and new discoveries from around the world.
The multi-dimensional nine-day festival is held annually in 20 venues in downtown Rochester, NY, all within walking distance, and presents more than 1750 artists from around the world in 300+ shows. Founded in 2002, attendance has grown from 15,000 in 2002 to 200,000+ in 2023. The economic impact delivered to the region now exceeds $210 million.
Navigating all genres of creative improvised music, the festival brings together unique musical sounds from many countries, highlighting international artists' take on the only truly American art form - jazz.
In addition to ticketed and free headliner series and the signature Club Pass Series of 171 shows at 10 Club Pass venues, we present more than 100 free shows and events, including jazz workshops for music students of all ages and nightly jam sessions, where there's no telling who will drop in to play. It's said that jazz never sleeps, and this event proves it as the music goes on deep into the night – often with unsung musicians who electrify the room.
Our jazz scholarship program has awarded $500,000 in scholarships to 44 students entering Eastman School of Music since 2002.
The CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival is produced by RIJF, LLC, a privately held company owned by John Nugent and Marc Iacona. Nugent, Producer and Artistic Director, is a noted tenor sax player who has traveled the world with many jazz artists, including Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, The Woody Herman Orchestra, and The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Marc Iacona, Producer and Executive Director, is a Rochester native and President of Simcona Electronics. A business and community leader, he is an avid trumpeter and supporter of the arts.
Signature Highlights
The reasons for our success are as diverse as our programming.
The popular Club Pass, a value pass to discovery, allows people unlimited access to all club venues for three or all nine days to sample a wide spectrum of music. It's no wonder the festival motto is It's not who you know, it's who you don't know.
Rising Recognition
The Festival's popularity continues to escalate.
Best Festival: Rochester Business Journal Reader Rankings
JAZZIZ Travel Guide: 20 Jazz Festivals That Should Be On Your Bucket List
Best Summer Jazz Festivals in the World by Dandelion Chandelier
Jazz Festivals: Best Jazz Fests in New Orleans, Jacksonville & Rochester
Repeatedly named the top favorite arts and cultural event by Rochester Business Journal readers
Best Festival by City Newspaper
One of the Top 10 Best Jazz Festivals in USA by Festicket.com
One of the Best 50 Music Festivals in the World by Culture Trip
Nurturing the Next Generation
Investing in the next generation is a major focus of the festival. The festival established the first jazz music scholarship at the renowned Eastman School of Music, awarding almost $500,000 to 40 students to attend the prestigious school since the festival began in 2002. Each year a free scholarship concert is held during the festival featuring the scholarship winners.
Since 2013, an expanded Youth Jazz Workshop Series led by visiting musicians has been offered over five days for young music students and was sponsored by Wegmans.
More than 20 high school jazz bands, the best in the region, are invited to perform each year on the Jazz Street stage. Many youth ensembles from the Eastman School's community education program are also given an opportunity to play.
Impacting tourism - people come from all across the world to attend, corporations schedule major meetings and events during the festival, travel and meeting planners attend to explore the region for future meetings and conferences, and local music lovers often take the week off to enjoy all nine days of the festivities without worrying about staying up late!
The festival's impact can also be felt throughout the year. It has paved the way for more live music in area venues and built audiences for many artists who are invited back by other area organizations for fundraisers and concerts.
The RIJF organization has been a tireless advocate for the arts as a key sector of our economy and a significant influence in showcasing Rochester, New York's wide-ranging resources and riches in the cultural arts making it a destination for people worldwide.
Festival Series & Venues
The festival is presented in three series: Headliner, Club Pass, and Free Shows. There are also nightly jam sessions and workshops for young musicians.
JAM SESSIONS
Nightly from 10:30 – 'til... at Hyatt Regency Rochester
No cover charge. Food and beverages are available.
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