Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival returns to Rochester for its 15th anniversary edition June 24-July 2  with nine days of amazing creative improvised music from around the world.

The 2016 Festival will present more than 1500 artists in 325+ shows at 19 venues in three series - the Club Pass series with 235 shows, Headliner Series with six shows and 99 free shows and events.

Headliners include Chick Corea, Joey Alexander, Chris Botti, Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers, Gregg Allman, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue (free), Erykah Badu, and Grace Potter. This marks Chris Botti's fourth appearance at XRIJF and Trombone Shorty's sixth. Tickets are on sale now for all shows at rochesterjazz.com, the Festival Ticket Shop or by calling 585-454-2060.

Other artists include Brecker Brothers Reunion Band, Kandace Springs, Rai Thistlethwayte, Red Baraat, Judith Hill, Sarah McKenzie, Soil & Pimp Sessions, Moscow Jazz Orchestra, Tord Gustavsen, Jamison Ross, Nacka Forum, Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, John Mooney Band, Los Lonely Boys (who were unable to make it last year), Fitz & The Tantrums, Curtis Stigers, Avishai Cohen Trio, Eric Lindell, John Scofield-Joe Lovano Group, Lizz Wright, Catherine Russell, Eldar, Cyrille Aimee, Lenny White's Present Tense, Nicholas Payton, Mingo Fishtrap, Pedrito Martinez, Bria Skonberg and many more.

99 Free Shows & Events

  • 51 shows on the City of Rochester Jazz St. Stage Presented by the Community Foundation
  • 6 shows on the City of Rochester Stage at Chestnut and East Ave. Presented by Rochester Regional Health
  • 2 shows on the City of Rochester Stage at Chestnut and East Ave. Presented by Wegmans
  • 9 free shows in the Rochester Regional Health Big Tent at 6 p.m.
  • 10 shows on the Avangrid Foundation/RG&E Fusion Stage
  • 5 shows at the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County
  • 2 shows on the City of Rochester Stage at Midtown Presented by Heluva Good! and Rochester Regional Health
  • 9 Jam Sessions nightly during the festival at Holiday Inn Rochester Downtown
  • 5 Kids Workshops sponsored by Wegmans, June 27-July 1.

As one of the world's leading international music festivals, artists will travel to Rochester this year from 14 countries including Canada, Japan, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Scotland, England, Australia, Israel, France, Cuba, Russia, and Brazil. 

This year's festival presents three international series over nine days:

  • Made in the UK series, which started at XRIJF in 2008, showcases artists from the UK. Eight years later, it remains the largest presentation of UK jazz outside the U.S. and has expanded to other major festivals in Canada and major U.S. cities.
  • Nordic Jazz Now series, in its ninth year at the festival, will present artists from Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway.
  • Oh, Canada! series - new this year - held at The Rochester Club. Nine bands from across Canada perform all nine days sponsored in part by The Canada Council for The Arts. Nine concerts in this series will be recorded live by WXXI-TV (PBS) in Rochester and broadcast on PBS stations across the U.S.

Nightly Jam Sessions

Held nightly at the Holiday Inn Rochester Downtown (formerly the Rochester Plaza), the official hotel of the festival. 70 State St..10 p.m. until... You never know who will show up to play.

New Venues

  • Squeezers Stage at Anthology Music Hall at 336 East Avenue (corner of East Ave. and Lawrence St.)
  • City of Rochester Midtown Stage presented by HeluvaGood! and Rochester Regional Health for final night, July 2, featuring Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue.

 

Ticket Information

Tickets available for all headliners shows, $40-125 plus service charges

  • 3-day ($154) and 9-day ($194) Club Passes also on sale.  Service charges apply.
  • Will call for Eastman shows opens one hour before shows in Eastman Theatre Lobby. See Will Call table.
  • Buy all tickets at rochesterjazz.com up to show time, the festival Ticket Shop at the corner of East Avenue and Gibbs Street or call 585-454-2060.
  • Access Club Pass shows with the Club Pass or single entry fees at the door cash only, $30 ($35 Kilbourn Hall). No advance sales for Club Pass shows. Doors open 30 minutes before shows start.
  • Free shows require no tickets. All shows go on rain or shine.
  • Club Pass Exchange - Club Pass tickets must be exchanged for a Club Pass in advance of arriving at any show at the following locations. Tickets cannot be redeemed at venues.
    • Jazz Festival Ticket Shop (East Ave. & Gibbs St.), June 20-23 from 10am-5pm & June 24 - July 2 from 10am-11pm
    • Kiosk on Jazz Street (Gibbs St.), June 23, Noon-5pm & June 24-July 2,    10am-10pm
    • Merchandise Tent, June 24-July 2, 4-11pm

Where Festival-Goers Can Get Information

Rochesterjazz.com -  complete schedule, buy tickets, venues, maps, artist bios, festival photos, and more. Getting Around the Fest

Ticket Shop - Corner of East ave at Gibbs Street, open June 6-June 17 from Noon-5 pm, June 20-23 from 10am-5pm, June 24 - July 2  from 10am - 11pm

InfoCenters Available at Six Locations

Get lost in the music, not the festival. Six InfoCenters will be located around the festival, enabled by Xerox® Digital Signage and sponsored by Dermatology Associates and Century Mold. Features include:

  • Interactive map showing venues, food/beverages, merchandise, restrooms, and Shuttle stops, Info and schedules on shows and artists, live social media streams, sign up for email news and be entered into a sweepstakes.
  • Located at Rochester Regional Health Big Tent, Harro East Ballroom, Xerox Auditorium, Avangrid Foundation/RGE Fusion Tent, Merchandise Tent and Squeeze Stage at Anthology.

Official XRIJF App - Free

Map out a custom festival plan with the XRIJF free official app. See the schedule, venues, audio clips, maps and buy tickets online. Concert descriptions, artists bios, select favorite artists and make a custom agenda. Take and share photos and search easily through concerts files or artist profiles. Get alerts on any schedule changes plus info on cool things not to miss, getting around the fest and more. Download.

Free Festival Brochure and Program Guides

Available at all venues and at the Ticket Shop.

Visit Rochester Booth

Get free visitor/tourist information on Jazz Street (Gibbs Street)

Free Shuttle Trolley Service Offered

Offered all nine days, the trolley will circulate around the fest stopping at key venues from 3 PM - midnight. Sponsored by Harris Beach PLLC. See map of shuttle stops.

Street Closings

Gibbs Street (From East Ave to E. Main) Monday, June 20 (Midnight) to Monday, July 3 (Midnight)

Chestnut (From E. Main to East Ave)

  • June 24 (6AM) to June 26 (2AM)
  • July 1 (6AM) to July 3 (2AM)

East Ave (From E. Main to Scio) and Chestnut (From Broad to East Ave) ·

  •  June 24 (5PM-Midnight)
  • June 25 (5PM-Midnight)
  • July 1 (5PM-Midnight)
  • July 2 (5PM-Midnight)

Main Street (from Gibbs to Chestnut-not to include Gibbs or Chestnut)

  • Friday, June 23 to Saturday July 2 (5pm-midnight)

Midtown Stage Concert at 275 East Main Street- the following streets are closed:

July 2 -   7:00AM-Midnight

  • Elm St. (From Clinton to Atlas St.)
  • Cortland St.(From Elm Street to E. Main St.)
  • Andrew Langston Way (From Elm St.to E. Main St.)

July 2  - 3:00AM-Midnight

  • Elm St.(From Clinton to Chestnut St.)
  • Atlas St. (From Euclid St. to Elm Street)
  • Euclid St. (From Chestnut St. to Andrew Langston Way)

Especially for Families and Youth

Youth Workshops - Young musicians  (elementary to high school) may take advantage of five workshops sponsored by Wegmans that will be led by world-renowned musicians performing at the festival's Made in the UK Series. June 27 - July 1, 1PM at ESM Ray Wright Room - 120. Free. No registration required.

Hundreds of young music students from 24 regional schools (elementary, high school and colleges) and from programs at the Eastman School of Music will perform at the festival. Concerts are all free and will be held on the City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage Presented by The Community Foundation. 

Fun Things to Do at the Fest

Xerox  Sweet Shot - free, interactive photo booth inside the Merchandise Tent on Jazz St. (Gibbs St.). Share photos instantly and take home a personalized poster! Donations benefit AutismUp. June 24 - July 2

Xerox Lip Sync Challenge - Benefits AutismUp.  Merchandise Tent on Jazz St. (Gibbs St.). See www.AutismUp.org/LipSync. June 24 - July 2

Rochester Regional Health Chalk Artist - daily, outside Rochester Regional Health Big Tent, Daniel Butler will document festival memories, 3-8pm

Rochester Regional Health Street Teams - daily, look for RRH employees who will be distributing useful items to help you enjoy the night.

Heluva Good! Snack Shack - Free samples of HeluvaGood! cheese and dips, giveaways and coupons.  June 24, 25 from 5 pm - 10 pm, July 1, 2 from 5 pm - 10 pm. Chestnut St. at East Ave.

Taste of Rochester, House of Heluva Good Tent - Thursday, June 30, 5-9pm, East Ave at Chestnut St., tastings, cash bar, food, wine and beer

Free Community Cyber/Safety Fair Sponsored by RG&E - AVANGRID Foundation,

Tues. June 28th - 10am - 4 pm, Fusion Tent on East Avenue at Chestnut St. Learn how to keep yourself, your family and your workplace safe in the cyber and real worlds. Exhibits - information booths - fun - prizes - giveaways - refreshments.

Water Filling Station - June 24 - July 2, Jazz Street (Gibbs St.) - Sponsored

by The Nature Conservancy, with Xerox Environmental Health & Safety and the City of Rochester. Fill your own bottle or purchase a reusable water bottle and refill it with water from Hemlock and Canadice Lakes.