JazzRochester

Ready for some fresh live jazz in and around Rochester, NY? Each week, we gather the listings for live jazz to hear around Rochester for the next seven days immediately below. Open the rest of the post at the end of this week’s listings (if your’e receiving via email list you will get it all anyway) and you’ll find live jazz we have heard about through December and January, a little for February (plus some items of special interest beyond that….). Check back from time to time as we will update the post throughout the week as we hear about new live jazz gigs around town until the next post is published.

This week the Rochester International Jazz Festival announced that trumpeter Chris Botti will be appearing on June 25th during the festival. You can find out more here. Tickets for Botti go on sale on Friday at 10:00 am.

Thursday, December 18, 2025

Eastman@Washington Square: Holiday Jazz @ First Universalist Church (Downtown), 12:15 pm
Marilla & the Moonlighters @ Lila’s, 5:00 pm
Dave Turner @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 5:30 pm
Marco Amadio @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
Deepak Thettu with Bill Tiberio, Tony Padilla and Tyrone Coley @ Daily Refresher, 6:00 pm
Marye Lobb @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
Max Robbins @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 9:00 pm

Friday, December 19, 2025

Ann Mitchell Jazz Duo @ Brewery Ardennes (Geneva), 5:00 pm
Carlton Wilcox @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 5:00 pm
Connie Fredericks-Malone @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
Ben Turiano & Alex Northrup @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
Rick Holland Little Big Band Annual Christmas Show @ Vine and Tap Wine Bar (Charlotte), 6:30 pm
Simon Fletcher Trio @ The Chandelier Bar At Salvatore’s, 6461 Transit Road (Depew), 7:00 pm
Escape Terrain @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 9:00 pm

Saturday, December 20, 2025

Jazz Jam Session with Jack’s Jammers @ Vine and Tap Wine Bar (Charlotte), 2:00 pm
Michael Sidoti @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
Holiday Jazz Special @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 6:00 pm
Jaesic Wade & Ben Miller @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
Pickle Mafia Farewell Show @ Three Heads Brewing, 7:00 pm
The String Brothers @ Annette’s (Webster), 6:00 pm
Lyrical Grooves XXV with Jimmie and Lu Highsmith celebrating their 30th Anniversary @ The French Quarter, 630 West Ridge Rd., 7:00 pm (more info & tickets, call /text 585-666-0019)
Steve Cataldi Duo @ Annette’s (Webster), 8:00 pm
Steve Grills and the Roadmasters @ Dinosaur BBQ (Downtown), 9:00 pm

Sunday, December 21, 2025

Laura Dubin Trio Holiday Concert @ Parma Greece United Church of Christ, 1211 Manitou Rd, 1:00 pm
ECMS Winterfest: New Horizons Jazz Ensembles @ ESM, Kilbourn Hall, 1:30 pm
ECMS Winterfest: Music Educators Jazz Ensemble @ ESM, Kilbourn Hall, 3:00 pm
Prime Time Brass @ ROC Holiday Village (Downtown), 5:00 pm
ECMS Winterfest: ECMS Jazz Ensembles @ ESM, Kilbourn Hall, 5:30 pm

Monday, December 22, 2025

No jazz for you?

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

No jazz for you?

Wednesday, December 24, 2025

Christmas Eve with Connie Fredericks-Malone @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 4:30 pm

Looking for some live jazz later than the next week? Then click on the arrow to open it up here . . . .

Looking for live jazz for the last few days of December?

26th: Indigo Breeze @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 5:00 pm
26th: Ann Mitchell Jazz Duo @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
26th: Los Pajaritos @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
26th: Mel Henderson Duo @ Vine and Tap Wine Bar (Charlotte), 6:30 pm
26th: Logan DiLeo @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 9:00 pm
27th: Special Blend Trio @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
27th: Thomas Chamberlain & Aaron Hunt @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
27th: Emily Champion @ Annette’s (Webster), 7:00 pm
30th: Victrola Voilà @ Cheshire, 695 South Clinton (Rochester), 7:00 pm
31st: NYE with the Special Blend Trio @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
31st: NYE with Cool Club & the Lipker Sisters @ Lovin Cup Bistro & Brews, 6:00 pm
31st: NYE with the Stewie Evans Trio @ Sager-Stoneyard Pub, 46 Sager Dr (Downtown), 6:00 pm
31st: NYE with the Bob Sneider Trio @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm

Looking for live jazz in the New Year (i.e., January)?

2nd: Jazz On Tap: R&D Quartet @ Vine and Tap Wine Bar (Charlotte), 6:30 pm
2nd: Mel Henderson & Joe Chiappone @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
2nd: Simon Fletcher Trio @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 9:00 pm
3rd: Julie Ketchum & Scott Bradley @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
3rd: Laura Dubin & Antonio Guerrero @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
6th: GCC Jazz Quartet @ Lila’s, 5:00 pm
7th: Margaret Explosion @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
8th: The Charlie Mitchell Group @ Lila’s, 5:00 pm
8th: Rich Thompson Trio “Generations” @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
9th: Mike Kelly & Dave Arenius @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
9th: Night and Day @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
10th: Stewie Evans Trio @ Lemoncello’s (East Rochester), 6:00 pm
10th: Mike Kaupa & Noah Shumway @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
10th: The Moho Collective @ Three Heads Brewing, 7:00 pm
10th: Mid-Century Modern Jazz Quartet @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
10th: Uptown Groove Duo @ Annette’s (Webster), 6:00 pm
11th: Indigo Breeze @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
13th: Rich Thompson Trio @ Lila’s, 5:00 pm
13th: Victrola Voilà @ Cheshire, 695 South Clinton (Rochester), 7:00 pm
14th: Jacobo Vega-Albela @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
15th: The Charlie Mitchell Group @ Lila’s, 5:00 pm
15th: WGMC Jazz 90.1 presents the Bob Sneider Trio @ Greece Baptist Church, 1230 Long Pond Road (Greece), 7:00 pm
16th: Opening Night @ The Biltmore Bar & Lounge, 47 State Street (Downtown), TBD
16th: Jaesic Wade Duo @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
16th: The Occasional Saints @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
17th: Jon Randall Octet @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 5:00 pm
17th: Ryan Johnson & Glen Cummings @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
17th: Darryl Parker Quartet @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
20th: Higher Ground @ Lila’s, 5:00 pm
22nd: The Charlie Mitchell Group @ Lila’s, 5:00 pm
22nd: Dean Keller’s Soul Jazz Joint @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
23rd: Jazz On Tap: Bob Sneider Trio @ Vine and Tap Wine Bar (Charlotte), 6:30 pm
23rd: Joel Kastner & Kyle Vock @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
23rd: Faculty Artist Series: Otis Brown III @ ESM, Hatch Recital Hall, 7:30 pm
24th: Stewie Evans Trio @ Annette’s (Webster), 6:00 pm
24th: Daniel King & Keith Dudinski @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
25th: Mike Kaupa Quartet @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
27th: Stewie Evans Trio @ Lila’s, 5:00 pm
27th: Victrola Voilà @ Cheshire, 695 South Clinton (Rochester), 7:00 pm
29th: The Charlie Mitchell Group @ Lila’s, 5:00 pm
30th: Deepak Thettud & Armani Works @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
30th: Trio East @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
31st: Rochester Jazz Escape with Phil Denny, Phylicia Rae, Jacob Webb, Saxl Rose, Kevin Jackson and Jimmie Highsmith Jr. @ The Carlson, 50 Carlson Road, 5:00 pm (more info & tickets)
31st: Dino Losito & Bob Sneider @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm

Looking for live jazz in February?

2nd: Victrola Voilà! @ Lila’s, 5:00 pm
3rd: Victrola Voilà! @ Cheshire, 695 South Clinton (Rochester), 7:00 pm
13th: Simon Fletcher Trio @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 9:00 pm
14th: Valentines Jazz Dinner @ Vine and Tap Wine Bar (Charlotte), 6:00-9:00 pm (reservations recommended)
14th: Mary DeFranco Jazz @ Annette’s (Webster), 7:00 pm (reservations recommended)
15th: Kleinhans Music Hall & JazzBuffalo present Tierney Sutton Celebrating Harold Arlen’s 121st Birthday @ Kleinhans Music Hall (Buffalo), 3:00 pm (more info & tickets)
17th: Eastman New Jazz Orchestra @ ESM, Kilbourn Hall, 7:30 pm
18th: Jazz Composers & Arrangers Orchestra Concert @ ESM, Kilbourn Hall, 7:30 pm
19th: Eastman Jazz Orchestra @ ESM, Kilbourn Hall, 7:30 pm
23rd: Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: The Let the Spirit Tour @ Bop Shop Records, 8:00 pm (more info & tickets)
26th: Eastern Boundary Quartet @ Bop Shop Records, 8:00 pm (more info & tickets)

Some special live jazz even later….

March 1st: The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra @ The Theater at Innovation Square, 4:00 pm (tickets)
March 29th: A concert + recording debut by Phil Haynes 2 Horns & What? featuring Nate Wooley & Peyton Pleninger @ Bop Shop Records, 8:00 pm (more info & tickets)
April 8: DARK BLUE featuring Lucian Ban and Alex Harding @ Bop Shop Records, 8:00 pm
April 11: Lou Grassi with Ken Filiano and Kenny Wessel @ Bop Shop Records, 8:00 pm
April 13: Simone Baron’s Arco Bello @ Bop Shop Records, 8:00 pm
April 22nd: Snarky Puppy @ Electric City (Buffalo), 8:00 pm (tickets)
April 26th: Kleinhans Music Hall & JazzBuffalo present John Pizzarelli Trio @ Kleinhans Music Hall (Buffalo), 3:00 pm (more info & tickets)
May 9th: A concert + recording debut by Phil Haynes 2 Horns & What? featuring Peyton Pleninger & Jonathan Ragonese @ Bop Shop Records, 8:00 pm
May 12th: Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass & Other Delights @ Kodak Center, 7:30 pm (tickets)
May 17th: Kleinhans Music Hall & JazzBuffalo present Emmet Cohen Presents Miles & Coltrane at 100 @ Kleinhans Music Hall (Buffalo), 3:00 pm (more info & tickets)

Click on the links where available for more information on the gig or tickets, or check out the venue’s website in the right panel. For the most part only start times for the gigs are listed, call the venue or visit their website for more details about when the doors open, how long the band will be playing, etc. Most shows do not have a cover. Please let me know if you’ve heard about any gigs that I may have missed here or if I have anything wrong (see the Contact Us link above to send an email if that’s how you roll). Tell your jazz-loving friends about the site so they can join us here or on our other channels.

Every night there is live jazz being played in and around Rochester (even on nights where the day’s listing is “No jazz for you! “). While I share images when I go out to hear some jazz and you can see those in the feed of the latest of those images from JazzRochester on Instagram in the right panel of our front page, I have a day job and don’t get out as much as I’d like. So I’m going to start sharing more images of live jazz to help capture what’s happening across the city and its environs, even when I’m not there myself.

This first post is a test to see how that will work on the technical side. If it works as planned, I’ll aim to share one each week — fewer words, more photos. Long-time readers may remember “Live Shots,” where I used to post gig photos directly to the site. This is a bit of a return to that idea.

For those of you who go out to jazz (and other music) gigs often, you’ve likely seen Aaron Winters getting some shots of the musicians, listening for a bit and then moving on to another live music gig. He also captures beautiful images of wildlife. Aaron has graciously permitted me to post some of his images from the live jazz gigs around town. I’ll add some of mine as well when I get out (unless Aaron was there….). I also know there are others out there capturing great images at local shows. If you’d like to contribute, I’d love to include some of your images from live jazz gigs around ROC in future posts. Just use the Contact Us button in the site’s header to send them or to reach out and we’ll figure out the best way to share them.

Here are the images from this week…