Happy New Year!!! As you know, each week I 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 you’re receiving via email list you will get them all in your email) and you’ll find live jazz we have heard about through the rest of January, some for February and some items of special interest beyond that. It’s a bit light this week, which is not unusual after the holidays, but maybe folks will still be sending some in. Check back from time to time as I will update the post throughout the week as I hear about new live jazz gigs around town until the next post is published.
Due to the holidays and (probably) Aaron taking a break, there was no Live Shots post for the past week. We’ll pick that up again soon.
Thursday, January 1, 2026
- No jazz for you? Everyone is recovering from NYE, I guess ….
Friday, January 2, 2026
- John Palocy @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 4:30 pm
- Jazz On Tap: R&D Quartet @ Vine and Tap Wine Bar (Charlotte), 6:30 pm
- Mel Henderson & Joe Chiappone @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
Steve Grills & the Roadmasters @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm(unexpected closing)- Simon Fletcher Trio @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 9:00 pm
Saturday, January 3, 2026
- Gonztet Duo @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 4:30 pm
- Julie Ketchum & Scott Bradley @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
Laura Dubin & Antonio Guerrero @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm- Steve Grills & the Roadmasters @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm (Laura had to cancel)
Sunday, January 4, 2026
- No jazz for you?
Monday, January 5, 2026
- No jazz for you?
Tuesday, January 6, 2027
- GCC Jazz Quartet @ Lila’s, 5:00 pm
Wednesday, January 7, 2026
- Margaret Explosion @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 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 in January?
- 8th: The Charlie Mitchell Group @ Lila’s, 5:00 pm
- 8th: Rich Thompson Trio “Generations” @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
- 9th: Vanessa Vacanti with the Jazz Mafia @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 5:00 pm
- 9th: Mike Kelly & Dave Arenius @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
- 9th: Indigo Breeze Piano Duo @ Spritz 146 (East Rochester), 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
- 10th: Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra Combo @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 9:00 pm
- 11th: Indigo Breeze Sextet @ 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
- 15th: Ben Turiano Trio @ Skylark Lounge (Union Street, Downtown), 7:00 pm
- 15th: Stewie Evans Trio @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 9:00 pm
- 16th: Opening Night @ The Biltmore Bar & Lounge, 47 State Street (Downtown), TBD
- 16th: Indigo Breeze @ Lemoncello’s (East Rochester), 6:00 pm
- 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
- 17th: Indigo Breeze Sextet @ Lounge at the Grist (Honeoye Falls), 8:30 pm
- 20th: Higher Ground @ Lila’s, 5:00 pm
- 22nd: Mike Pullano @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 4:30 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: Ann Mitchell Jazz Duo @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
- 23rd: Mike Pallini @ Lemoncello’s (East Rochester), 6:00 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: John Viviani & Friends @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 5:00 pm
- 24th: Mike Pallini @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 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
- 26th: Indigo Breeze Trio @ Lemoncello’s (East Rochester), 6:00 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
- 29th: Indigo Breeze Bone Trio @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 5:00 pm
- 29th: Ralph DeBerglis Duo @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
- 24th: John Viviani & Friends @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 5:00 pm
- 30th: Moondance Trio @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 4:30 pm
- 30th: Sarah De Valliére @ Lemoncello’s (East Rochester), 6:00 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: Mel Henderson Duo @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 4:30 pm
- 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
- 7th: Indigo Breeze Trio @ Lemoncello’s (East Rochester), 6:00 pm
- 13th: Rochester Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra Combo @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at the Inn on Broadway, 5:00 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
- 21st: Jazz90.1 New Orleans Celebration with Steve Grills & the Roadmasters @ Artisan Works 6:30 pm (more info & tickets)
- 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 7th: Lin Rountree & BK Jackson @ Rochester’s Jazz Escape (in the Carlson), 6:00 & 8:30 pm (more info & 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 8th: Ravi Coltrane @ Smith Opera House (Geneva), 8:00 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.
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