Every June, the nine days of the Rochester International Jazz Festival lights up the city, drawing international attention to our vibrant music scene. However, it’s important not to overlook the exceptional jazz and music talent we have right here at home the other 356 days of the year. From incredibly talented jazz bands from local high schools to Eastman School of Music students and faculty to acclaimed year-round professionals, many of Rochester’s local musicians take the stage at RIJF, giving you an opportunity to hear them in a festival setting and discover artists worth following all year long (in these pages, I hope…). Celebrating local music, this year the RIJF has increased the visibility of our local artists, replacing the Club Pass venue Big Tent with a free Wegman’s Pavilion in its redesigned “Rhythm Square” that spotlights Rochester’s own and sprinkling them into the Club Pass venues as well.
Below, you’ll find this year’s lineup of local musicians and groups at RIJF. Check their page on the RIJF’s site for more (many of them have websites on our Rochester Jazz Musicians and Groups page). If we’ve missed anyone, drop me a note and I’ll be happy to add them. I’ve noted the ones that are Club Pass, but the rest are free.
Friday, June 19, 2025
- Harley School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 3:45 pm
- Greece Arcadia High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 4:30 pm
- Pittsford Sutherland High School @ Jazz Street Stage, 5:15 pm
- Paul Hofmann & Bob Sneider Play Stevie Wonder @ Hatch Recital Hall, 5:45 pm
- All in Brass Band @ Wegmans Pavilion, 6:00 pm
- The Campbell Brothers @ Temple Theater, 9:15 pm (Club Pass)
- Jimmie Highsmith Jr. @ Wegmans Pavilion, 9:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Ryan Johnson @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at The Inn on Broadway, 10:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Mike Cottone @ Squeezers at the Hyatt Regency Rochester, 10:30 pm
Saturday, June 20, 2025
- Greece Olympia High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 3:45 pm
- Penfield High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 4:30 pm
- School of the Arts Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 5:15 pm
- 78 Rpm Big Band @ Wegmans Pavillion, 6:00 pm
- Ryan Johnson & Escape Terrain @ Wegmans Pavillion, 7:45 pm
- Judah Sealy @ Wegmans Pavillion, 7:45 pm
- Jam Session Led by Ryan Johnson @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at The Inn on Broadway, 10:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Mike Cottone @ Squeezers at the Hyatt Regency Rochester, 10:30 pm
Sunday, June 21, 2025
- Gates High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 3:45 pm
- Joey Stempian Big Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 4:30 pm
- Joey Stempian Big Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 5:15 pm
- Penfield Big Band @ Wegmans Pavillion, 6:00 pm
- Bill Tiberio Band @ The Duke, 7:30 pm & 9:45 pm (Club Pass)
- Dirty Blanket @ Wegmans Pavilion, 7:45 pm
- Fall Creek Brass Band @ Wegmans Pavillion, 9:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Ryan Johnson @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at The Inn on Broadway, 10:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Bob Sneider @ Squeezers at the Hyatt Regency Rochester, 10:30 pm
Monday, June 22, 2025
- Mike Melito @ Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County, 12:00 pm
- Webster Thomas High School Jazz Band @ City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage presented by the Community Foundation, 3:45 pm
- Spencerport High School Jazz Band @ City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage presented by the Community Foundation, 4:30 pm
- Brockport High School Jazz Band @ City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage presented by the Community Foundation, 5:15 pm
- Charles Pillow Octet featuring Amy Azzara @ The Inn on Broadway, 5:30 pm & 7:45 pm (Club Pass)
- ESM Jazz Honors Unit 1 @ Jazz Street Stage, 6:00 pm
- Brockport Big Band @ Wegmans Pavilion, 6:00 pm
- RIJF-ESM Scholarship Concert @ Jazz Street Stage, 7:30 pm & 9:30 pm
- Novasonic @ Wegmans Pavilion, 7:45 pm
- Europa @ Wegmans Pavilion, 9:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Ryan Johnson @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at The Inn on Broadway, 10:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Bob Sneider @ Squeezers at the Hyatt Regency Rochester, 10:30 pm
Tuesday, June 23, 2025
- Prime Time Brass @ Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County, 12:00 pm
- Alexander High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 3:45 pm
- Webster Schroeder High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 4:30 pm
- Greece Athena High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 5:15 pm
- Harold Danko @ Hatch Recital Hall, 5:45 & 7:45 pm (Club Pass
- Greece Jazz Band @ Wegmans Pavilion, 6:00 pm
- Music Educators Big Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 5:15 pm
- Sarah De Valliere & the Rhythmwell @ Wegmans Pavillion, 7:45 pm
- Viavattine Brothers @ Wegmans Pavillion, 9:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Ryan Johnson @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at The Inn on Broadway, 10:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Bob Sneider @ Squeezers at the Hyatt Regency Rochester, 10:30 pm
Wednesday, June 24, 2025
- Mel Henderson 4tet @ Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County, 12:00 pm
- Honeoye Falls-Lima High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 3:45 pm
- West Irondequoit High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 4:30 pm
- Pittsford Mendon High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 5:15 pm
- New Horizons Jazz Ensemble @ Wegmans Pavilion, 6:00 pm
- ECMS Faculty with Special Guest Vocalists @ Jazz Street Stage, 6:00 pm
- Grupo Ife @ Wegmans Stage at Parcel 5, 7:00 pm
- Rochester Metro Jazz Orchestra @ Jazz Street Stage, 7:30 & 9:30 pm
- Almost There Band @ Wegmans Pavillion, 7:45 pm
- Public Water Supply @ Wegmans Pavillion, 9:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Ryan Johnson @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at The Inn on Broadway, 10:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Bob Sneider @ Squeezers at the Hyatt Regency Rochester, 10:30 pm
Thursday, June 25, 2025
- Katy Eberts @ Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County, 12:00 pm
- Brighton High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 3:45 pm
- Victor High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 4:30 pm
- Canandaigua High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 5:15 pm
- Laura Dubin Trio @ Hatch Recital Hall, 5:45 pm & 7:45 pm (Club Pass)
- ESM Jazz Honors Unit 2 @ Jazz Street Stage, 6:00 pm
- Victor High School Jazz Band @ Wegmans Pavillion, 6:00 pm
- Robin Mc Kelle & the Flytones Stax Soul Sessions @ Wegmans Stage at Parcel 5, 7:00 pm
- Excursion Jazz Orchestra, Don Sherman, Dir. @ Wegmans Pavillion, 7:45 pm
- Scoulive Celebrating the Music of John Scofield and Soulive @ Wegmans Pavillion, 9:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Ryan Johnson @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at The Inn on Broadway, 10:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Bob Sneider @ Squeezers at the Hyatt Regency Rochester, 10:30 pm
Friday, June 26, 2025
- Margaret Explosion @ Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County, 12:00 pm
- Fairport High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 3:45 pm
- Bloomfield High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 4:30 pm
- Eastridge High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 5:15 pm
- Mike Kaupa’s Eastman Community Music School Ensembles & Junior Jazz @ Jazz Street Stage, 6:00 pm
- Prime Time Brass @ Wegmans Pavillion, 6:00 pm
- Mambo Kings @ Wegmans Pavillion, 7:45 pm
- Freddy Colon & 5 Con Swing @ Wegmans Pavillion, 9:30 pm
- Robin Mc Kelle & the Flytones Stax Soul Sessions @ Jazz Street Stage, 9:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Ryan Johnson @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at The Inn on Broadway, 10:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Mike Cottone @ Squeezers at the Hyatt Regency Rochester, 10:30 pm
Saturday, June 27, 2025
- Pal-Mac High School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 3:45 pm
- Multi-School Jazz Band @ Jazz Street Stage, 4:30 pm
- University of Rochester Jazz Ensemble @ Jazz Street Stage, 5:15 pm
- C.M.D. @ The Inn on Broadway, 5:15 pm & 7:45 pm (Club Pass)
- ESM Jazz Honors Unit 3 @ Jazz Street Stage, 6:00 pm
- The GateSwingers Big Band @ Wegmans Pavillion, 6:00 pm
- Cinnamon Jones @ Wegmans Stage at Parcel 5, 7:00 pm
- Black Rabbit @ Wegmans Pavillion, 7:45 pm
- Aaron Deruyter & the Confluence @ Wegmans Pavillion, 9:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Ryan Johnson @ Vanni’s Jazz Lounge at The Inn on Broadway, 10:30 pm
- Jam Session Led by Mike Cottone @ Squeezers at the Hyatt Regency Rochester, 10:30 pm
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