Xerox Rochester International Jazz Fest unveils full 2014 line-up 

The Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival today unveiled the full line-up for the 2014 edition of the event, which will run June 20-28 in Rochester's East End.

Among the 1200 artists who will be performing at the 13th annual fest (see press release below for the full line-up), blues legend Buddy Guy was announced as the final headliner; Guy will play Thursday, June 26. He joins the previously announced Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers (sold out), Earth, Wind and Fire (sold out), Janelle Monae, Fourplay, and Michael McDonald in the Kodak Hall line-up.

Major artists playing the free outdoor stages include Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (June 20), the Marcus Miller Band (June 27), the Lou Gramm Band (June 21), Soullive (June 28), and George Thorogood & the Destroyers (June 28). Those are just a few of the 75 free shows at this year's event.

The 2014 festival will also see the addition of a new Club Pass venue, Squeezers at the Inn on Broadway, which will host a mix of jazz, blues, and R&B concerts, bringing the number of Club Pass venues up to 13. This year will also see four of the concerts in Kilbourn Hall taped by WXXI TV for distribution on national PBS stations.

Club Passes are currently on sale at the Jazz Fest website (rochesterjazz.com) for $194, plus service fees. Tickets are also available for the Kodak Hall headliners. Individual Club Pass show tickets will cost $20-$25 and be available at the door.

Keep checking City and rochestercitynewspaper.com for more information on the 2014 XRIJF as it becomes available. City's Jazz Fest Guide will publish on June 18, and City's music writers will exhaustively cover the festival on our Jazz Blogs.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. - March 18, 2014 - John Nugent and Marc Iacona, Producers of the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival (XRIJF) (rochesterjazz.com) today announced the full lineup for the festival's 13th edition, the biggest festival ever, to be held in 20 venues over nine days June 20-28, 2014.

Headlining this year's festival are Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Brickell (both shows sold out), Earth, Wind and Fire (sold out), Janelle Monáe, Fourplay, Michael McDonald and just announced today, six-time Grammy winner and American blues guitarist Buddy Guy.

The festival's 13th Edition will feature more than 1200 artists from around the world including Roberta Gambarini, Cecile McLorinSalvant, Bill Frisell's Guitars in the Space Age, Snarky Puppy, Catherine Russell, Vijay Iyer, Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet, Roy Hargrove, Dianne Schuur, Lucky Peterson, Norma Winstone Trio, Lou Gramm, and many more.

Headlining on this year's free outdoor stages are Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Lou Gramm, Marcus Miller Band, Soulive and George Thorogood and the Destroyers.

Marc Iacona, Producer and Executive Director, said, "This year's festival will again deliver something for everyone. Thanks to the support of the City of Rochester, Rochester General Health System, The Community Foundation, Wegmans, RG&E and Lidestri, we will present more than 75 free shows on six outdoor stages, and a free noon series at the Rochester Monroe County Library. Our popular nightly jam sessions are also free at the Rochester Plaza.

"We continue to invest in the next generation of talented jazz musicians in several ways, by creating opportunities for young people to perform in the festival, by supporting our annual jazz scholarship, and offering five workshops for young musicians to learn from some of the finest artists in the world."

John Nugent, Producer and Artistic Director, said, "Like other leading jazz festivals, XRIJF has the remarkable ability to present not only exceptional creative improvised music, but to also bring entire communities together. We are proud to bring the world to Rochester in June and unite our residents with visitors for nine days of joy and excitement."

Nugent's annual not-to-miss producer's picks include Cecile McLorinSalvant, Cyrille Aimee, Vijay Iyer, Roy Hargrove, Phaedra Kwant, Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio, Laila Biali, Snarky Puppy, Jacob Young & TrygveSeim + Marcin Wasilewski Trio, Peter Bernstein & Friends, Hot Club of Detroit, Les Doigts de L'Homme, and Susanna.

In addition to being one of the world's largest jazz festivals, XRIJF also presents one of the most extensive international lineups. Artists performing at XRIJF this year will come from 18 countries in addition to the US, including Canada, Aruba, Cuba, Brazil, South Africa, Japan, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, England, Scotland, France, Mali, Israel, Netherlands and Poland. The festival's popular Made in the UK series is now in its seventh year and remains the largest presentation of British jazz outside the UK. Nordic Jazz Now will celebrate its eighth year at the festival.

• New Club Pass Venue - Squeezers at the Inn on Broadway: Featuring 18 jazz, blues, and R&B concerts during nine days, Squeezers will be in a tent with a capacity of 400 adjacent to the Inn on Broadway. Squeezers is named in honor of the former Bandbox on State Street, also known as Squeezers, for its owner, pianist Joe Strazzeri. Strazzeri'sfamily, the DiMarco's of Rochester are sponsoring the venue.

• Televised Concerts: In partnership with WXXI TV (PBS), four concerts in the Kilbourn Hall Club Pass venue will be taped for national distribution on PBS stations.

• Apps: The festival's 2014 official app for iPhone and Android smartphones will be released in May.

• Eastman School of Music - XRIJF Gerry Niewood Scholarship Concert is free, Monday, June 23 at 8:00 p.m. with the Eastman Jazz Ensemble directed by Bill Dobbins and special guest John Sneider. The 2014 Scholarship recipients will be announced at the concert. The festival has awarded more than $130,000 in scholarships to 31 Eastman School of Music students since 2002.

• 22 regional high school jazz bands will perform on the City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage presented by The Community Foundation. Bloomfield, Brighton, Brockport, Buffalo Academy, Canandaigua, Eastridge, Fairport, Hilton, Honeoye Falls Lima, Spencerport, Greece Arcadia, Greece Athena, Greece Odyssey, Greece Olympia, Newark, Pittsford Mendon, Pittsford Sutherland, MCC, School of the Arts, Webster Schroeder, Webster Thomas, West Irondequoit.

• Jazz Workshops for Aspiring Music Students: This series of five structured jazz workshops is sponsored by Wegmans, hosted by Bob Sneider, Eastman School of Music Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media and Senior Instructor of Jazz Guitar, and led by five visiting international musicians performing at XRIJF. Aspiring students will meet, listen to and learn from professional jazz musicians and also play. The series will be held in room 120, the Ray Wright Room, at Eastman School of Music from 1:00-2:30 p.m. Workshops are open to all aspiring grade school through high school music students, no pre-registration is required.

• Street closings: same as 2013. The schedule will be announced in early June.

Full Schedule of Concerts - See rochesterjazz.com for the complete schedule and lineup.

2014 Artists (in alphabetical order) - 5head, 78RPM Big Band, Akiko Tsuruga Quartet , Anders Hagberg Quartet, Anthony Strong, BenediktJahnel Trio, Bertoncini/Jenkins/Sturm, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Bill Dobbins Plays The Music Of Dave Brubeck, Bill Frisell Guitar In The Space Ages, Bill Tiberio Band, Blind Boy Paxton, Bonerama, Brian Kellock & Tommy Smith, Brockport Community Big Band, Brubeck Brothers, BUDDY GUY, Catherine Russell, Cecile MclorinSalvant, Christine Ohlman, Cyndi Cain, CyrilleAiemee, Dave Glasser & Friends, David's Angels, Deadstring Brothers, Diana Panton Quartet, Diane Schuur, Don Mancuso & Ddrive, Don Thompson, EARTH WIND & FIRE, Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra, Eska, Ester Rada, Etienne Charles Quintet, Euan Burton Quartet, Flat Earth Society, FOURPLAY, Fred Costello, Gap Mangione Septet, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Gerald Clayton, Greater Rochester Jazz Orchestra, Greece Jazz Band, GrupoCalle Uno, Harold Danko , Harris Eisenstadt Golden Gate, Hey Mavis, Holophonor- The Thelonious Monk Institute All Stars, Honey Island Swamp Band, Hot Club Of Detroit, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Ian Shaw, Ibrahim Electric, Ivan Jansen Aruba Jazz, Jack Allen Big Band, Jacob Young & Trygve, Seim + Marcin Wasilewski Trio, Jamey Haddad Group , JANELLE MONÁE, Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet, Jazz FM 90.1 Youth Big Band, Jeanne Jolly Band, Joe Beard Blues Band, Joel Miller Quartet, Joey Defranceso Trio, John (Papa) Gros New Orleans Funk Kings, Jon Ballantyne Trio, Jonathan Gee Trio, Julian Lage/Nels Kline, Kari Ikonen Trio, Laila Biali, Les Doigts De L'hommes, Lorraine Klaasen Group, Lou Gramm Band, Louis Hayes & The Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band, Lucky Peterson featuring Tamara Peterson, Manuel Valero, Marcus Miller Band, Mark Lockheart Trio, Matt Anderson, Melissa Aldana & Crash Trio, MICHAEL MCDONALD, Mike Kaupa Trio, Mike Stern/Bill Evans With Steve Smith, Mingo Fishtrap, Music Educators Big Band, Mvt, Myles Mancuso, New Energy Big Band, New Horizons Vintage Jazz Band, Newport Jazz Festival®: Now 60, Nikki Hill , Norma Winstone Trio, Partisans, Pat Labarbera Quartet , Paul Towndrow Trio, Penfield Rotary Big Band, Peter Bernstein & Friends, Phaedra Kwant, Prime Time Brass, Prime Time Funk, Rachel Brooke Band, Rob Mostert Hammond Group, Roberta Gambarini, Rochester Metro Jazz, Roy Hargrove, Rufus Reid Trio, Ryan Dilmore, Scott Feiner & Pandeiro Jazz, Selwyn Birchwood, Shai Maestro Trio, Shine with John Viviani, Significant Other, Snarky Puppy, Sophie Bancroft/Tom Lynne Duo, Soul Stew, Soulive, Spectra, Stephanie Trick, STEVE MARTIN & THE STEEP CANYON RANGERS FEAT. EDIE BRICKELL, Sun Trio, Sunna Gunnlaugs Trio, Susanna, Tessa Souter, The Brain Cloud, The Deciders, The Dirt Daubers, The London Souls, The Lustre Kings, The Moho Collective, The Pine Leaf Boys, The Wee Trio, Two Siberians, Vijay Iyer Trio, and Warren Wolf & The Wolfpack.

Tickets & Admission

• Club Pass Series: Entry is first-come, first-served cash only, at the door for $20/ $25 per show or with the Club Pass, on sale at rochesterjazz.com for $194 plus service charge ($6 if purchased online, $8 if mailed) until sold out. Club show tickets are not available in advance.
• Headliner Shows: Tickets available at rochesterjazz.com.
• Jam Sessions at the Rochester Plaza Hotel State St. Bar & Grill: free admission, nightly from 10:30 p.m.
• Outdoor Stages: free, no tickets required, all shows rain or shine.

Information - Download the official XRIJF App for iPhones and Android devices. Visit rochesterjazz.com for the full schedule, map, venue information, artist bios & photos.

About XRIJF - 2014 marks the 13th edition of the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival presented by M&T Bank. The festival was founded in 2002 and is produced by John Nugent, Artistic Director and Marc Iacona, Executive Director. As one of the leading jazz festivals in the USA, the event delivers more than 300 concerts including more than 70 free shows, at 19 venues over nine days. The 2013 Festival drew more than 195,000 music lovers to hear some of the finest artists in the world perform.

The festival is sponsored by Xerox, the City of Rochester, M&T Bank, Monroe County, the Democrat and Chronicle, Wegmans, Rochester Plaza Hotel, Eastman School of Music, Brooklyn Brewery, Michelob, Stella Artois, Unity Health System, Admar, Rochester General Health System, The Community Foundation, 13WHAM-TV, Fox Rochester & The CW Rochester, M/E Engineering, SWBR Architects, Paradigm, CMI Communications, VisitRochester, Mercury Print Productions, Lidestri Spirits, RG&E, SUNY College at Brockport, Constellation Brands, DownBeat Magazine, MidTown Athletic Club, Max of Eastman Place, House of Guitars, and Gates Automotive.