Jazz Fest 2023

Headliner: Max Roach Centennial Celebration | Academy of Music

Downtown Jazz Strut

Friday, Sept. 29, 2023
4:30-11:30 pm

Stroll, sip and dine your way through downtown Northampton to the sounds of jazz ensembles at establishments across town. The Jazz Strut features free evening jazz performances in breweries, bars and restaurants throughout downtown Northampton. Each ensemble starts at 30-minute intervals and plays for two hours, so you can be sure to catch a lot of live jazz and good times on Jazz Strut night!

Jazz Strut Lineup

4:30 – 6:00 pm   Jeff Holmes Big Band featuring Dawning Holmes at Pulaski Park CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN

6:00 – 8:00 pm   Molly Plaisted Trio inside at Northampton Brewery

6:30 – 8:30 pm   Melanie Giselle under the tent at Spoleto’s (reservations suggested)

6:30 – 8:00 pm   Rich Goldstein Quartet inside at Wurst Haus

7:30 – 9:30 pm   Ron Smith Soulful Jazz Quartet inside at Progression Brewing Co.

8:00 – 10:00 pm  The Dwonztet inside at Fitzwilly's

8:30 – 10:30 pm  Bar Filipowicz Quartet inside at Wurst Haus

10:00-11:30 pm New! Late Night Jam Session inside at Toasted Owl

Jazz Fest Day

Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023
11:30 am -9:00 pm

The FREE music lineup features jazz musicians from around the region and across the globe performing in a variety of downtown venues throughout the day, followed by a special evening with the Max Roach Centennial Celebration, performing a ticketed show at the Academy of Music.

JAZZ FEST DAY LINEUP

Max Roach Centennial Celebration with the Joe Farnsworth Quintet including special guest George Coleman, with Christian Sands on piano, Peter Washington on bass and Jeremy Pelt on trumpet

Avery Sharpe Quartet & the Extended Family Choir

Camille Thurman & the Darrell Green Quartet

Mark Whitfield

Vanisha Gould Quartet

Danny Jonokuchi & The Revisionists

Vuyo Sotashe with Chris Pattishall

Hot Club of New York

UMass Jazz Ensemble

Lindy League of Western Mass.

Expandable Brass Band