CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival Starts June 23

The 20th Anniversary Edition of the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival starts in just 10 days! The nine-day event will be held from June 23 to July 1 in Downtown Rochester, NY. It will present more than 1750 artists in 300 shows, including 100 free shows, jam sessions, and workshops, at 19 venues.

The festival draws more than 210,000 people annually. It will deliver an outstanding lineup of amazing artists from around the world who are looking forward to performing for RIJF's appreciative and enthusiastic audiences.

Headliners this year in ticketed shows at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre include Pat Metheny Side-Eye, Bonnie Raitt: Just Like That ... Tour 2023 (sold out), Keb' Mo', and Omara Portuondo, “VIDA” The Farewell Tour.

Free headliner shows include Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Bruce Hornsby and The Noisemakers, Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, and Artimus Pyle Band Celebrating Lynyrd Skynyrd. On the Wegmans Stage @ Parcel 5 and City of Rochester East & Chestnut Stage. No tickets are required. All shows go on rain or shine.

Club Pass Series

This year's Club Pass Series is packed with 192 shows at 11 venues. Get unlimited access for three or nine days with the Club Pass or with $30/$35 cash (Kilbourn Hall) at the door. Buy Club Passes online at RochesterJazz.com. There are no advance ticket sales or reserved seating, so arrive early and line up. Doors open 30 minutes before both sets, and entry is first-come, first-served. To save time, take advantage of our “Save Time in Line" system for the first shows at Kilbourn Hall and Max of Eastman Place – two of our busiest Club Pass venues. Club Pass artists include Samara Joy, Gabrielle Cavassa, The Baylor Project, Camille Thurman with Darrell Green Quartet, NYChillharmonic, Joe Robinson, Joey Alexander Trio, Glen David Andrews, Kenny Werner and Gregoire Maret Celebrating Toots Thielemans, Tia Fuller Quintet, Matthew Whitaker, Curtis Stigers, Nduduzo Makhathini, Houston Person and Eric Person, Christian Sands Trio, Gretchen Parlato and Lionel Loueke, Tatiana Eva-Marie, Catherine Russell, Bill Frisell Trio, Marc Broussard, The Hollywood Jazz Orchestra, David Hazeltine and many more.

3-Day Student Club Passes will be offered for students ages 25 and under at $174 + $6 service charge – 31% off the price of a regular 3-Day Pass. They will be available for purchase in person only starting June 19 at the Ticket Shop. Student ID required. See Club Pass Info for details.

Festival venues are all within walking distance and include Hatch Recital Hall, Hyatt Ballroom, Kilbourn Hall, Christ Church, Little Theatre, Max of Eastman Place, Montage Music Hall, Rochester Regional Health Big Tent, Temple Building Theater, Theater at Innovation Square, and the Wilder Room.

Download Free App

Our new App powered by Harris Beach PLLC is loaded with more features than ever, making it the best way to plan your festival experience. Download here or download in the App Store or Google Play. Features include Find the entire line-up and 2023 Festival schedule; Browse the schedule by When, Where, and Type of show (Free, Club Pass, Headliners, etc.); Browse by artists, read about them, visit their websites and listen to tracks; Create and plan your own personal schedule, set reminders, view venues on the map, and get travel times. Buy tickets, and see FAQs; Stay in touch with the latest news and alerts, and important info on getting around the festival; Connect with the Festival's Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram accounts to keep up with the latest posts; Sign up for official festival alerts and email news for important, timely messages; Never miss a show. Set alerts to upcoming events, including how long it will take to get there; See what's hot and what others are recommending; Love a show? Share your favorites with others.

See Guide to the Fest for complete details on parking, street closures, travel, hotels, and more to plan your festival experience.

Musicians will travel to the Festival from 17 countries, including the USA – Australia, Benin (West Africa), Canada, Cuba, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, Mozambique, Norway, Scotland, South Africa, and Switzerland.

The RIJF / Eastman School of Music annual jazz scholarship presentation/concert Celebrating Chick Corea with the Eastman School of Music Jazz Ensemble is free and will be held Monday, June 26 at 8 PM at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. The program has awarded almost $500,000 in scholarships since 2002.

5 Free Jazz Workshops

June 26th from 1-2:30 PM in the Ray Wright Room at Eastman School of Music. Sponsored by Wegmans, the workshops are free and for music students of all ages. They are an exceptional opportunity to play and meet, listen to, and learn from professional jazz musicians performing at the festival. Led by Bob Sneider. No advance registration.

Nightly Jam Sessions

Music Never Sleeps! June 23—July 1 at the Hyatt Regency Astor on Main. The Fetsival's official hotel. Sponsored by the DiMarco Group and led by Mike Cottone & Bob Sneider. Food and drinks are available. Free! No Cover charge. Free parking from 10:30 p.m., to 2 a.m. in the South Ave Garage courtesy City of Rochester.

The CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival (RIJF) is one of the world's leading jazz festivals. Founded in 2002, the multi-dimensional nine-day Festival is held annually in downtown Rochester, NY, and presents more than 1750 artists from around the world in more than 300 shows at 19 venues. 2023 marks the Festival's 20th-anniversary edition. From legendary performers and familiar favorites to rising stars and discoveries, the Festival navigates all genres of creative improvised music from all corners of the world. RIJF is produced by RIJF, LLC, a privately held company owned by Marc Iacona and John Nugent.