Music Blog

While the Eastman Theatre headliners and Club Pass shows require tickets, the 2014 Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival is loaded with free concerts -- more than 80 free shows on 6 stages during the nine-day festival (June 20-28).

These concerts tend to fill up, so if you want a good spot, show up early (and remember a folding chair). For more information and schedule updates, visit the Jazz Festival's website, and follow @roccitynews on Twitter for the latest details on all things Jazz Fest.

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Venues

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County(115 South Avenue) Free shows June 23-27

City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage (Gibbs Street at East Avenue) Free music daily

City of Rochester East Avenue & Chestnut Street Stage Free shows June 20-21, 27-28

City of Rochester East Avenue & Alexander Street Stage Free shows June 28

RG&E-LiDestri Spirit Stage(corner of East Ave. & Chestnut St.) Free shows June 22-26

State Street Bar & Grill(Rochester Plaza Hotel, 70 State St.) Free jazz jams starting nightly at 10:30 p.m.

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Friday, June 20

4:30 p.m.: Hilton High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

5:15 p.m.: Canandaigua High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

6:00 p.m.: ECMS Mike Kaupa Combo and Paul Hofmann Combo (Jazz Street Stage)

7:00 p.m.: Gem City (East Ave. & Chestnut St. Stage)

7:15 p.m.: Rob Mostert Hammond Group (Jazz Street Stage)

9:00 p.m.: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (East Ave. & Chestnut St. Stage)

9:15 p.m.: Rob Mostert Hammond Group (Jazz Street Stage)

10:30 p.m.: XRIJF Nightly Jazz Session with The Bob Sneider Trio (State St. Bar & Grill at the Rochester Plaza Hotel)

Saturday, June 21

3:45 p.m.: Brighton High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

4:30 p.m.: Brockport High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

5:15 p.m.: Pittsford Sutherland High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

6:00 p.m.: Bob Sneider Jazz Combo and Mike Kaupa RCSD Combo (Jazz Street Stage)

7:00 p.m.: Spectra (East Ave. & Chestnut St. Stage)

7:15 p.m.: Mingo Fishtrap (Jazz Street Stage)

9:00 p.m.: Lou Gramm Band (East Ave. & Chestnut St. Stage)

9:15 p.m.: Mingo Fishtrap (Jazz Street Stag(e

10:30 p.m.: XRIJF Nightly Jazz Sessions with The Bob Sneider Trio (State St. Bar & Grill at the Rochester Plaza Hotel)

Sunday, June 22

3:45 p.m.: West Irondequoit High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

4:30 p.m.: Newark High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

5:15 p.m.: Spencerport High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

6:00 p.m.: Jimmy Robbins Jazz Sextet (Jazz Street Stage)

7:00 p.m.: Bill Tiberio Band (RG&E-LiDestri Spirit Stage)

7:15 p.m.: JAZZ.FM91 Youth Big Band (Jazz Street Stage)

9:00 p.m.: Bill Tiberio Band (RG&E-LiDestri Spirit Stage)

9:15 p.m.: JAZZ.FM91 Youth Big Band (Jazz Street Stage)

10:30 p.m.: XRIJF Nightly Jazz Session with The Bob Sneider Trio (State St. Bar & Grill at the Rochester Plaza Hotel)

Monday, June 23

12:00 p.m.: John Nyerges Quartet (Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County)

4:30 p.m.: Greece Arcadia High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

5:15 p.m.: Bloomfield High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

6:00 p.m.: Wendy Eisenberg's Earth Science (Jazz Street Stage)

7:00 p.m.: MVT (RG&E-LiDestri Spirit Stage)

7:15 p.m.: Hot Club of Detroit (Jazz Street Stage)

8:00 p.m.: ESM-XRIJF Gerry Niewood Jazz Scholarships Performance (Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre)

9:00 p.m.: MVT (RG&E-LiDestri Spirit Stage)

9:15 p.m.: Hot Club of Detroit (Jazz Street Stage)

10:30 p.m.: XRIJF Nightly Jazz Session with The Bob Sneider Trio (State St. Bar & Grill at the Rochester Plaza Hotel)

Tuesday, June 24

12:00 p.m.: Gabe Condon (Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County)

4:30 p.m.: Greece Athena High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

5:15 p.m.: Fairport High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

6:00 p.m.: New Horizons Big Band (Jazz Street Stage)

7:00 p.m.: Significant Other (RG&E-LiDestri Spirit Stage)

7:15 p.m.: Fred Costello (Jazz Street Stage)

9:00 p.m.: Significant Other (RG&E-LiDestri Spirit Stage)

9:15 p.m.: Fred Costello (Jazz Street Stage)

10:30 p.m.: XRIJF Nightly Jazz Session with The Bob Sneider Trio (State St. Bar & Grill at the Rochester Plaza Hotel)

Wednesday, June 25

12:00 p.m.: Mel Henderson and Paradigm Shift (Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County)

4:30 p.m.: Eastridge High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

5:15 p.m.: Greece Olympia High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

6:00 p.m.: ESM-XRIJF Jazz Scholarships Alumni (Jazz Street Stage)

7:00 p.m.: Cyndi Cain (RG&E-LiDestri Spirit Stage)

7:15 p.m.: Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra, New Horizons Vintage Jazz Band, & Music Educators Big Band (Jazz Street Stage)

9:00 p.m.: Cyndi Cain (RG&E-LiDestri Spirit Stage)

9:15 p.m.: Eastman Youth Jazz Orchestra, New Horizons Vintage Jazz Band, & Music Educators Big Band (Jazz Street Stage)

10:30 p.m.: XRIJF Nightly Jazz Session with The Bob Sneider Trio (State St. Bar & Grill at the Rochester Plaza Hotel)

Thursday, June 26

12:00 p.m.: Nate Rawls (Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County) 

3:45 p.m.: Greece Odyssey High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

4:30 p.m.: Webster Thomas High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

5:15 p.m.: Honeoye Falls Lima High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

6:00 p.m.: ECMS Saxology I and Saxology II (Jazz Street Stage)

7:00 p.m.: Shine (RG&E-LiDestri Spirit Stage)

7:15 p.m.: Soul Stew (Jazz Street Stage)

9:00 p.m.: Shine (RG&E-LiDestri Spirit Stage)

9:15 p.m.: Soul Stew (Jazz Street Stage)

10:30 p.m.: XRIJF Nightly Jazz Session with The Bob Sneider Trio (State St. Bar & Grill at the Rochester Plaza Hotel)

Friday, June 27

12:00 p.m.: Vince Ercolamento (Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County)

3:45 p.m.: Gates-Chili High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

4:30 p.m.: Pittsford Mendon High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

5:15 p.m.: Buffalo Academy High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

6:00 p.m.: ECMS Latin Jazz and Junior Jazz (Jazz Street Stage)

7:00 p.m.: Ester Rada (East Ave. & Chestnut St. Stage)

7:15 p.m.: Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (Jazz Street Stage)

9:00 p.m.: Marcus Miller Band (East Ave. & Chestnut St. Stage)

9:15 p.m.: Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (Jazz Street Stage)

10:30 p.m.: XRIJF Nightly Jazz Session with The Bob Sneider Trio (State St. Bar & Grill at the Rochester Plaza Hotel)

Saturday, June 28

3:45 p.m.: MCC Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

4:30 p.m.: Webster Schroeder High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

5:15 p.m.: School of the Arts High School Jazz Band (Jazz Street Stage)

6:00 p.m.: Gomeh Barak Quintet (Jazz Street Stage)

7:00 p.m.: The London Souls (East Ave. & Chestnut St. Stage)

7:00 p.m.: Prime Time Funk (East Ave. & Alexander St. Stage)

7:15 p.m.: John "Papa" Gros Band (Jazz Street Stage)

9:00 p.m.: Soulive (East Ave. & Alexander St. Stage) 

9:00 p.m.: George Thorogood and The Destroyers (East Ave. & Chestnut St. Stage) 

9:15 p.m.: John "Papa" Gros Band (Jazz Street Stage)

10:30 p.m.: XRIJF Nightly Jazz Session with The Bob Sneider Trio (State St. Bar & Grill at the Rochester Plaza Hotel)

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Get more reviews and information with CITY's Daily Jazz Blogs, updated every day of the festival!

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