ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The 21st annual CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival kicks off on Friday bringing some of the world’s best musicians to the heart of Rochester for nine days.

One of the festival’s co-producers, Mark Iacona talked about what we can expect this year.

“We’re always, we, we plan on things being new, but sometimes it’s a nice surprise. We have the Inn on Broadway this year as part of our club pass as well as a new venue called The Duke over at the Main on the Mercantile, the old Sibley Building.”

They will have two shows a night, two sets a night, and your pass gets you in, but you can pay at the door as well throughout the whole Club Pass series.

“There’s a different personality to each venue we program in these shows, different genres of jazz that we have creative, improvised music. At the Inn on Broadway, there will be some straight-ahead jazz, some trios, and some quartets that I know everyone will love as well as over at The Duke. There’s gonna be a little bit more electric R and B vibe to the shows. So it should be fun.”

You can get tickets here. You can also get Club Passes from the ticket shop at 105 East Avenue from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. every day and then once the festival starts, it’s open up a little bit later.

If you don’t want a club pass you could pay at the door every night. Cash at the door will get you a single entry.

You can find information on parking here.

There will be safety checkpoints throughout the different venues. RPD will be there, along with private security.

More information on the Jazz Festival including free shows here.

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