From legendary performers to rising stars, the Rochester International Jazz Festival –one of the most popular and most respected jazz festivals in the country – navigates all genres of creative improvised music from all corners of the world. In 2008, WXXI captured the essences of the Festival with spectacular performances by some of the industry’s hottest musicians in its third installment of THE ROCHESTER INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL series.

Shot in breathtaking high-definition, the series is comprised of three hour-long episodes recorded in the historic Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School of Music, featuring concerts from jazz and blues singer Catherine Russell, arranger and trombonist Slide Hampton, and jazz trio The Bad Plus. A fourth episode offers an overview of the festival.

More about the program
More about the festival

Rochester International Jazz 2007 season one
Rochester International Jazz 2008 season two

In Rochester, New York, you can see the series on WXXI-TV (cable 11) and WXXI-HD (DT 21.1/cable 1011) Sundays at 7 p.m., beginning May 3.

You can also hear the series on WRUR-FM 88.5 Thursdays at 6 p.m., beginning April 30 and Saturdays at 3 p.m., beginning May 2.