Local jazz enthusiast and amateur musicologist Jim Lill has created a database of jazz artists who were born, raised or spent a significant amount of time in Rochester, past and present. Jim operates the Jazz In Rochester NY Facebook group. The database also includes jazz musicians from Western New York and the Finger Lakes who perform a lot in Rochester. Right now there are nearly 400 names in the database, with their active years ranging from 1917 to the present. Jim’s goal is to gather data about Rochester’s jazz musicians for other researchers and to facilitate contact with current artists.  This database is being maintained and may be accessed through Jim’s webpage.  

The database is a work in process. I’ve been lending a hand. Jim encourages everyone to review and provide additions, corrections, and more detail where appropriate. There is an email link available at the bottom of the page or you can reach out to Jim here to do that. Rochester area jazz musicians should check it out and make sure you’re on it and, if you are, it is accurate.