While we click off the days until the holidays and the snow spreads more thickly, there is some jazz out there for you.  And if you're thinking more about the warmer months, the folks over at the Rochester International Jazz Festival have announced the first two headliners for the 2024 RIJF and, lo and behold, they are actually jazz acts—Grammy-winning vocalist Samara Joy and guitarist Lee Ritenour with Bill Evans and Randy Brecker.  Also, note that I've added a date in February for Joshua Redman Group with Gabrielle Cavassa, who will bring some heat at the historic Hochstein School of Music's Performance Hall. 

Below you'll find listings for live jazz being presented in and around Rochester that I've gathered for the next seven days, plus listings through the rest of December and getting a start on the new year.  Please let me know when you hear about any gigs that I've missed here (see the Contact Us link above). And please share JazzRochester with the people you know who love live jazz...

Thursday, December 7, 2023

• Mike Sidoti @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• Dean Keller's Soul Jazz Joint @ The Studio Lounge, 6:00 pm
• Student Degree Recital: Shane McCandless, jazz writing @ ESM, Hatch Recital Hall, 6:30 pm
• Howard Levy 4 @ Fanatics Pub, 7281 W Main St. (Lima), 7:00 pm 
• Student Degree Recital: Oliver Gomez, jazz bass @ ESM, Hatch Recital Hall, 9:30 pm

Friday, December 8, 2023

• Chris Ott @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• Nathan James @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• Laura Dubin Trio CD Release Party @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm

Saturday, December 9, 2023

• Chris Ott Trio @ Jazz Brunch at Rohrbach Railroad Street Beer Hall, 11:00 am
• Ralph DeBergalis @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• Jim Nugent Trio @ Hedges Nine Mile Point Restaurant, 6:00 pm
• Jazz Generation @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• Frank Torchio's Christmas in Vegas @ Kodak Studio Theatre on the Ridge, 7:00 pm

Sunday, December 10, 2023

• Rich Thompson's Trio Generations @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm

Monday, December 11, 2023

• Eastman New Jazz Ensemble @ ESM, Kilbourn Hall, 7:30 pm
• Monday Night Jazz @ UUU Art Collective, 153 State St. (Downtown), 8:00 pm (Jam at 9:00 pm)

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

• No jazz for you?

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

• Simon Fletcher Trio @ The Studio Lounge, 6:00 pm
• Rich Thompson's Trio Generations @ Faircraft Brauhaus (Fairport), 6:30 pm

More December jazz for you ...

• 14th: Eastman@Washington Square: Holiday Jazz @ First Universalist Church of Rochester, 12:15 pm
• 14th: Ryan Johnson @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• 14th: Sound Logic @ The Studio Lounge, 6:00 pm
• 14th: The Fallopian Grooves @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
• 15th: Connie Fredericks-Malone @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• 15th: Daniel King & Keith Dudinksi @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• 15th: Brendan Lanighan Octet (playing original compositions and holiday arrangements) @ UUU Art Collective, 7:00 pm
• 15th: The Bop Shop presents the Ember Trio featuring Caleb Wheeler Curtis, Noah Garabedian, and Vinnie Sperrazza @ Bop Shop Records, 8:00 pm (more info & tickets)
• 16th: Mike Sidoti @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• 16th: Vince Ercolamento & Joe Chiappone @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• 16th:  Jazzy Winter Warm Up featuring Jimmie Highsmith Jr. and Friends, with The Next Gen Trio @ The French Quarter Restaurant, 534 W Ridge Rd. (Rochester), 7:00 pm (doors at 6:30 pm) (more info on Facebook)
• 16th: Annie Wells Band @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
• 16th: Laura Dubin Trio @ Faircraft Brauhaus (Fairport), 7:00 pm
• 20th: Game Night Quartet @ Faircraft Brauhaus (Fairport), 6:30 pm
• 20th: Margaret Explosion @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
• 20th:  The Bop Shop presents The Levin Brothers @ Lovin Cup Bistro & Brews, 8:00 pm
• 21st: Mike Pullano @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• 21st: Christmas Jazz with Nyerges, Smith & Lake @ Faircraft Brauhaus (Fairport), 7:00 pm
• 22nd: Ann Mitchell @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• 22nd: Mike Kelly Jazz Duo @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• 22nd: Indigo Breeze @ Faircraft Brauhaus (Fairport), 7:00 pm
• 23rd: Mel Henderson @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• 23rd: Ryan Johnson Jazz Duo @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• 23rd: Bob Sneider Quartet @ Faircraft Brauhaus (Fairport), 7:00 pm
• 23rd: Judah Sealy Christmas with special guest performance by Neva @ 75 Stetson Street (Charlotte), 7:30 pm (more info & tickets)
• 24th: Christmas Eve with Ralph DeBergalis @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• 27th: Jon Randall Octet @ Faircraft Brauhaus (Fairport), 7:00 pm
• 28th: Mike Kaupa @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• 28th: Sound Logic @ The Studio Lounge, 6:00 pm
• 28th: The Djangoners @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm
• 29th: Moon Dance Trio @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• 29th: Ann Mitchell with John Gabriele @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• 29th: 39th Annual Holiday Concert with Chet Catallo & the Cats @ Sticky Lips (Henrietta), 8:00 pm (more info & ticket availability on Chet's site)
• 30th: Ryan Johnson @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• 30th: Maxwell Robbins @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• 30th: Bangers & Mash @ Faircraft Brauhaus (Fairport), 7:00 pm
• 31st: NYE with Special Blend Trio @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• 31st: Bob Sneider Trio @ The Little Theatre Cafe, 7:00 pm

Welcome to live jazz in 2024. Here's some dates in January... 

• 5th: Joe Mulroney @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• 6th: Chris Ott @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• 12th: Chris Ott @ Prosecco Italian Restaurant (Farmington), 5:30 pm
• 12th: Jaesic Wade Duo @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• 13th: Daniel King & Keith Dudinski @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• 18th: Jazz 90.1 presents Brockport Big Band Live @ Greece Baptist Church, 1230 Long Pond Road (Greece), 7:00 pm (more info)
• 19th: Mel Henderson & Bill Tiberio @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• 26th: Parker Story Jazz Duo @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm
• 27th: Dave Wright @ Flight Wine Bar Downtown, 6:30 pm

Looking for jazz later than January 2024? 

• February 1st: The Joshua Redman Group featuring Gabrielle Cavassa @ Hochstein School of Music, 8:00 pm (more info & tickets)
• February 12th: The Bop Shop presents the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble @ Bop Shop Records, 8:00 pm (more info & tickets)
• February 15th: WGMC Jazz 90.1 presents Ann Mitchell Jazz Live @ Greece Baptist Church, 1230 Long Pond Road (Greece), 7:00 pm 
• February 23rd: The Bop Shop presents the Mostly Other People Do the Killing @ Bop Shop Records, 8:00 pm (more info & tickets)
• February 29th: The Bop Shop presents Stick Men @ Lovin Cup Bistro & Brews, 8:00 pm (more info & tickets)
• March 3rd: The Bop Shop presents the Remedy Trio @ Bop Shop Records, 8:00 pm (more info & tickets)
• March 18th: The Bop Shop presents Anna Webber's Shimmer Wince @ Bop Shop Records, 8:00 pm (more info & tickets)
• April 6th: Spyro Gyra 50th Anniversary Tour @ Theater at Innovation Square, 8:00 pm (more info & tickets)
• April 12th: Diane Schuur at 70: An Evening of Sounds and Stories @ Smith Opera House (Geneva), 8:00 pm (more info & tickets)

We compile these gig and event listings from information obtained from our own knowledge of the jazz scene in and around Rochester, the performing musicians and bands themselves and other sources. The aim is to give you a one-stop place to find all your live jazz in and around Rochester. Click on the links where available for more information on the gig or tickets where needed, or check out the venue's website in the right panel if there. Only music start times 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. Let me know if I have missed anything or have something wrong. If you're out at a venue, make sure they know about the site. If you're a local jazz musician or venue/promoter, please sign up for the email lists I maintain for reminders and other information. You can do that through the About link at the top of the site.