Twenty artists, six days, one city: the 2023 Geneva Jazz Festival announces performers and schedule, happening March 23-28, featuring regional, national, and international jazz artists performing in venues across the city.
The 2023 Geneva Jazz Festival is held in the city of Geneva, known for innovation and forward-thinking businesses. It is the gateway to the Finger Lakes, providing access to historical landmarks, natural beauties, wineries, breweries, food, shopping, and more. The festival is in cooperation with the 6th annual Scott Lafaro Celebration concert presented by Smith Center for the Arts.
Scott LaFaro grew up in Geneva, and at age 18 he started learning to play the double bass. In 1961 he was killed in a car accident at age 25. He became the most influential jazz bassist ever after his performance with Stan Getz at the Newport Jazz festival and subsequent recordings with the Bill Evans Trio, which still impacts jazz today. For this year’s Lafaro celebration, The Smith Center for the Arts presents Christian McBride’s New Jawn. He has appeared on more than 300 recordings as a sideman and is an eight-time Grammy Award winner and the Artistic Director for the Newport Jazz Festival.
Schedule
The festival kicks off on Thursday, March 23 with a kickoff reception at Finger Lakes Live starting at 4 p.m. The Geneva All-stars Sextet will play at the venue at 6 p.m. and at 9 p.m. there will be a FLIMA Open Jazz Jam with Gonzo. The next day, March 24, has many acts throughout the day at various venues. From 2-5 p.m., a TBA act will perform at Empire Coffee & Donuts, and happening from 3-6 p.m. is the Matrix Duo at Brewery Ardennes. They are the premier flute and guitar duo performing throughout the southern tier of New York State and surrounding areas, consisting of Michele Gordon (flute) and Dennis Winge (guitar).
Friday also brings the Rick Hoyt Trio to Lake Drum Brewing from 4-7 p.m. DeWayne Perry & Friends will perform at The Linden Social Club from 5-8 p.m, and from 7-10 p.m. at Finger Lakes Live, the Bobby Henrie Quartet feat. Mike Kaupa makes an appearance. Henrie is from Middlesex, NY, and is a guitarist, singer, and multi-instrumentalist, steeped in a wide variety of roots music. He has been involved in many projects in the finger lakes/upstate region including the Henrie Brothers, Bobby Henrie & the Goners, The Djangoners, and more. Ending the day of jazz at 10 p.m. is the FLIMA Open Jazz Jam at The Linden Social Club.
Just as jam-packed as the day before it, Saturday starts with Greg Wachala at Beef & Brew from 1-4 p.m. and a matinée show at 2 p.m. by dynamic trio Pickle Mafia. The group has garnered nationwide attention through their groundbreaking, unique brand of Arena Jazz Fusion, has racked up 10,000+ viewing hours on YouTube, and has developed an extremely loyal fan base. The Ben Miller Trio will be at Lake Drum Brewing from 4-7 p.m. Miller is a jazz pianist, composer, and producer, born in the Philippines, and raised in Peru and upstate New York. He is also a member of the Orbiting Human Circus Quartet, Jesse Collins Quartet, Taru Alexander Quartet, and several other bands.
Continuing on Saturday is the Hanna PK Trio at The Linden Social Club from 5-8 p.m. Hanna PK is a pianist, soulful vocalist, and vibrant performer, born and raised in South Korea, currently residing in Rochester, playing in a variety of genres. In Nov. 2021, she released her debut album Blues All Over My Shoes on the VizzTone Label with Booga Music of internationally-known bluesman, Kenny Neal, debuting at #13 on Billboard’s US Blues chart.
From 7-10 p.m., Jimmie Highsmith Jr. with a five-piece band will be performing at Finger Lakes Live. A native of Rochester, he is a critically acclaimed, Grammy Nominated, and award-winning saxophonist, sharing the stage and opening for artists like Najee, Alicia Keys, Wynton Marsalis, and more. The Spring Benefit Concert is GMF’s largest fundraiser, featuring Anna Petrova, piano; Geoffrey Herd, violin; Eric Wong, viola; and Peter Eom, cello, performing Schubert’s B-Flat String Trio, D. 471, Café Music by Schoenfield, and Brahms’ Piano Quartet in G Minor, Op. 25. Tickets are available for purchase here. Ending the day is an Open Jazz Jam at The Linden Social Club, starting at 10 p.m.
Sunday brings many notable people across the city, starting with a jazz brunch at The Linden Social Club from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. with Paradigm Shift. The group formed in the early 90s in Rochester with the goal to bring spirit back to neo-jazz with organic, funky grooves and street-level ambiance. The band is comprised of bandleader Melvin Henderson, co-founder Gerry Youngman, and drummer-composer Sean Jefferson. The rest of the day takes place at Finger Lakes Live Events, starting with award-winning jazz artist Nancy Kelly at 2 p.m., the Craig Snyder Trio from 6-9 p.m., and a FLIMA Open Jazz Jam at 9 p.m.
On Monday at 4:30 p.m., there will be a meet and greet with Steve Davis at Ventosa Vineyards, and a dinner show with his quintet at 6 p.m. Davis was raised in Binghamton and graduated in 1989 from Hartt School’s Jackie McLean Institute, landing his first major gig with Art Blakey in NYC. In 1998 he won the TDWR (Rising Star) Trombone Category and was later named consecutively as Trombonist of the Year by The JJA. He has released 20 albums and is widely regarded as one of today’s leading voices on the trombone. The final day features FLIMA Tuesdays: Gonztet Jazz + Jam at Twisted Rail Brewin from 5-9 p.m.
To purchase tickets for the many performances at the 2023 Geneva Jazz Festival, visit here.
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