Jim Rotondi with One For All at Kilbourn Hall _Photo by Dick BennettNote to Editors: Marc Iacona and John Nugent will be available for comments via phone or Zoom today. Please contact Amanda Antinore, (585) 729-7533 to arrange.

Rochester, NY (May 3, 2021) –After intensive efforts to deliver a festival this year, CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival producers Marc Iacona and John Nugent announced today that despite holding onto hope that a socially distanced festival could take place this year at a more spacious location, it will not be viable from either a business or health safety perspective due to necessary NY State health guidelines and capacity restrictions.

“We are disappointed to announce that the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival 19th Edition will be postponed to June 17 to 25, 2022. We will be back next year and are committed to making every effort to move forward in downtown Rochester and also explore expanding the Festival with programming at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT),” said Iacona and Nugent.

“My heart is heavy,” said Nugent, Producer, and Artistic Director. “All of our colleagues, with whom we block book much of the amazing talent we present, postponed their festivals months ago. We did not want to throw in the towel but we are now left with no viable alternatives. As we tried to plan, the plethora of logistical barriers including capacity limits, border closures, artists reluctant to travel, limited availability of talent to book, visas for international artists now invalid, and more. We fully realize that the loss of live music has created a huge void in our lives and it has been career-ending for many musicians, but we will bring RIJF back next year with the high level of superior artistry our patrons have come to expect, and in an environment that will be inspiring and uplifting.”

As Iacona and Nugent said in February, their ability to present a festival would be dependent on New York’s public health guidelines being favorable for travel and large gatherings.

About the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival

The CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival is one of the world’s leading jazz festivals. Held annually in Rochester, NY, the nine-day Festival draws more than 200,000 music fans and presents more than 1750 artists from around the world in 320+ shows at 20+ venues. The Festival is produced by RIJF, LLC, a privately held company owned by John Nugent and Marc Iacona.

 

Media Contacts

Dalmath Associates (585) 586-6650

Amanda Antinore (585) 729-7533

Jean Dalmath (585) 755-6911

Photo: Jim Rotondi with One For All at Kilbourn Hall _Photo by Dick Bennett