Never Too Early, Part 1
Tickets for the big June jazz fests are are already in ‘hot cakes’ territory
Just in case we forget where we are, the organizers of the Rochester International Jazz Festival helpfully put The Word right out in front of the big gathering area around the Eastman School of Music. The Rochester fest is one of the Northeast’s biggest and best, well worth a jaunt. 8495Jazz will bring you full Rochester details next week. (8495Jazz photo)
I come from a long line of Those Who Are Well-Prepared – sometimes confused with anxious worrywarts.
But trust me, the big June jazz fests are already releasing their lineups, and in some cases, the best seats have been unavailable for weeks – the associate publisher and I had to accelerate our logistical planning for our target fest this year, Montreal, when we discovered one of our favorite artists had already sold out of orchestra seating well before Christmas. So if you are contemplating a Northeast/Canada jazz road trip around the summer solstice, no time like the present to start digging deep into the planning. Herewith, a guide as handy as possible – we’ll start this week with the two Canadian festivals with the most fleshed-out lineups, Ottawa and Montreal. Be sure to log on next week for the full lowdown on Rochester, Toronto and maybe Saratoga if the SPAC folks announce the lineup in time.
But first…whetting the whistle next weekend in New Haven
No need to pack a suitcase yet if you want to prime the pump to get that festival feeling; you can just hop in the car and head for downtown New Haven next weekend. The Yale Undergraduate Jazz Collective presents the 13th annual Jazz Festival at Yale with a trio of events. And the YUJC says all events are free and open to the public:
Friday, Jan. 30, 7 – 8:30 pm: YUJC student combo performances and jazz jam at Yale’s Schwarzman Center Underground. No registration required, but they ask you to notify them (link here), so the can plan accordingly.
Saturday, Jan. 31 4 – 6 pm: Saxophonist Patrick Bartley headlines the fest at Sudler Hall. Patrick’s a “regular regular” on Live From Emmet’s Place and is also the guiding force behind the J-MUSIC Ensemble, a band dedicated to examining the world of modern Japanese music through the lens of jazz.
Sunday, Feb. 1, 4 – 5 pm: The fest concludes with Yale alum and southern New England bass mainstay Jeff Fuller and his quintet, at the Afro-American Cultural Center. In September, his expanded group will kick off the 2026 Yale School of Music Duke Elllington Fellowship concert series.
Everything you need to know about the weekend is right here.
Take The Eh Train – Montreal & Ottawa
Montreal International Jazz Festival, June 25-July 4
We’ll start with Montreal. The Montreal fest comes very near to being every other regional soiree in one big package, more than a week of global jazz stars, up-and-comers and local acts. In fact, the festival was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest. If you can’t find something you like, it ain’t on the organizers.
“Located in the heart of downtown Montreal, closed to traffic and open until midnight, the festival site becomes the meeting place for jazz lovers worldwide for 10 days,” the festival folks tell us. “Together, they enjoy close to 150 indoor concerts and the famous outdoor component, consisting of more than 350 free, open-air shows, presented on the Place des Festivals.”
Ticketed show highlights include: Marcus Miller, June 25; Diana Krall, June 26-27; Cécile McLorin Salvant, June 26; Joshua Redman Group, June 29; Chief Adjuah, July 1; Melody Gardot, July 1-2; Taj Mahal, July 2; Pink Martini, July 3.
Wow.
Skip the fuss, take the bus with HJS
As if the sheer scale of Montreal were not enough, the Hartford Jazz Society is once again offering a bus excursion to the festival, June 25-28, open to the public. The package includes:
Round-trip motor coach transportation (leaves 8 am June 25 from Poquonock Commuter Lot, Windsor CT (Exit 38 on I-91 northbound).
Three nights’ accomodations at the Holiday Inn Select Centre-Ville (includes full buffet breakfast every morning), hotel taxes and gratuities. The hotel features an indoor heated pool, sauna, and whirlpool, spa and health and fitness center.
Friday evening transportation to the Casino de Montreal.
Discount prices are: $1,100 per person single occupancy, $695 double occupancy, $600 triple occupancy and $550 with four to a room.
Don’t forget your passport!
Click here for full details, including due dates for deposit payments and contact information.
Ottawa Jazz Festival, June 19-28
Ottawa is the home of a winter bucket list item – skating on the world’s longest rink, the Rideau Canal – but Canada’s capital also features its own summer fun with its jazz fest running concurrently with Toronto’s and Montreal’s. As you might expect, numerous artists play more than one of them.
In addition to the ticketed shows, Ottawa has also featured free shows in the days leading up to the festival; last year’s festival also included free lunch hour and happy hour shows as well as interviews with some of the artists.
Ticketed show highlights for 2026 include: Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, June 20; Brandon Woody’s Upendo, June 21; Avishai Cohen Big Vicious, June 25 (2 shows); Kassa Overall, June 28.
Of course, as the lineups for other summer festivals – including Litchfield and Newport – come in, we’ll bring them to you at the first opportunity.
The 2025 Montreal International Jazz festival packed the charming centre-ville area of the city with nearly non-stop revelry. Odds are good this year will provide the same joie.
Out and About with 8495Jazz
These listings are a curated sampling of shows in the region. As an independent resource for jazz news, 8495Jazz does not receive any consideration, free tickets, or affiliate fees for these listings. Please confirm events are still happening directly with the venue.
8495Jazz Wild Card Gig of the Week
The Falcon, Marlboro, NY
Ian Hendrickson-Smith & Grease Patrol (sax, combo), Friday, Jan. 30, 7:30 pm. $30 suggested donation. In-the-know jazz fans in the 8495 know Ian, whose “day jobs” are with The Roots and on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, by his nom de musique – Uncle Cheef. His Brewster club was a classy addition to the scene and we were sorry to see it close. However, he and wife and partner Jenny Cheef have been running hopping pop-ups and hinting that Uncle Cheef v2 may be on the way. Wouldn’t it be nice, as Brian Wilson said.
Other Upcoming Shows
Elicit Brewing Co., Manchester, CT
Hartford Jazz Orchestra, Monday, Jan. 26, 7:30 pm. Free.
The Side Door, Old Lyme, CT
Jazzmeia Horn (vocals, combo), Friday, Jan. 30 and Saturday, Jan. 31, 8 pm. Friday GA $65.04, students $33.27; Saturday GA $70.34, students $38.57 including service fee.
VFW Post 399, Westport, CT
Jim Royle’s Caribbean Connection (drums, combo), Thursday, Jan. 29, 7:30 and 8:45 pm. GA $20.76, student/vet $15.76 for 7:30 show, GA $10.76 for 8:45 show.
Chan’s, Woonsocket, RI
Brian James Quintet (sax, combo), w/opener LaSalle Academy Jazz Ensemble, Friday, Jan. 30, 8 pm. GA $15.38 in advance including service fee, $20 at the door.
Regattabar, Cambridge. MA
Tia Fuller (sax, combo), Saturday, Jan. 31, 7 pm. GA $41.79, students $30.15 including service fees.
Jams
Cafe Nine, New Haven CT
New Haven Jazz Underground jam, usually 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month: free admission
Saturday jazz jam most Saturdays, 4 pm. Free.
Blackeyed Sally’s, Hartford, CT
Jazz Wednesdays, featured set 7 pm, jam session afterward.
Carmine’s, East Hartford, CT
Paisley’s All Star Memorial Jam, 2nd Tuesday of the month, 7:30 pm. House band set followed by jam. Free.
Mahoney’s, Poughkeepsie, NY
Poughkeepsie Jazz Project, every Tuesday, 7 pm. Free.
Park City Music Hall, Bridgeport, CT
Scott Cushman and Friends followed by jam, first Wednesday of the month.
The Parlour, Providence, RI
First Sunday Jam (first Sunday of the month) with Ben Shaw Quartet followed by jam, music starts at 6. Jammers $5, audience $10.
The Blue Room, Cranston, RI
Newport Jazz Presents Jam Sessions, 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, 8 pm. House band followed by jam.
Groton Hill Music Center, Groton, MA
Jams every second Tuesday of the month through June, 7 pm. $10 at the door, no advance sales.
Jazz Societies and Organizations (great info on events, festivals, and more)
Jazz Society of Fairfield County
Jazz Fridays at Three Sheets New Haven 1st/3rd Fridays from 6-9pm
Jazz Thursdays at The Cannon New Haven every other Thurs from 7-9pm.
8495Jazz takes its name from the two Interstate highways that cross our region, I-84 and I-95. Within short driving distances from either, you can find incredible entertainment, from local jams to world-famous festivals in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. 8495Jazz: From Newburgh to Newport!
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