Jazz Fest History

Houston Person with the Green Street Trio | 2013

The Northampton Jazz Festival was founded in 2011 and showcases free live jazz performances throughout the downtown, capped by a concert by a internationally known jazz luminary.

This page lists past Jazz Fest Day performers by year. 

2023

Max Roach Centennial Celebration
Avery Sharpe Quartet
Mark Whitfield
Shenel Johns with Chris Pattishall      
Camille Thurman and the Darrell Green Quartet
Vanisha Gould Quartet
Danny Jonokuchi & The Revisionists

Hot Club of New York

UMass Jazz Ensembles
Expandable Brass Band

2022

Ron Carter Quartet
The Royal Bopsters
UMass Jazz Ensemble
Freddie Bryant Brazilian Trio
Hot Club New York
​Ashley Pezzotti and Trio
​Eh La Bas
Expandable Brass Band

2021

The Art Blakey Centennial Celebration
Sullivan Fortner
Alex Hamburger Quartet
Manduca Sexta       
The ZT Amplifiers Showcase
Lioness
Cocomama
Expandable Brass Band

Up Jumped Spring

In honor of April Jazz Appreciation Month and the Northampton Jazz Workshop, the Northampton Jazz Festival ​presented a virtual jazz series with four jazz performances of local and regional musicians. 
Eugene Uman Trio
Fumi Tomita Trio
Carolyn Dufraine Trio
Jacob Smith Trio

2020

Jazz @ the Deck

The pandemic made it necessary to cancel the 2020 Northampton Jazz Festival, which instead sponsored six outdoor jazz concerts in the fall featuring nationally and internationally recognized musicians and vocalists.
Green Street Quintet
Karrin Allyson Quartet
David Eure Quartet
Mothership Trio with special guest vocalist Wanda Houston
Northampton Jazz Workshop featuring Hendrick Meurkens with the Green Street Trio
The Giacomo Gates Quartet

2019

Kurt Elling Quintet
Native Soul Quartet
Emmet Cohen
Endea Owens Sextet
Jack Wilkins Trio
Ed Fast and Conga Bop
Expandable Brass Band

2018

Paquito D'Rivera Quintet
Don Braden and the Organix Quartet
Sheryl Bailey and Harvie S Plucky Strum
​Giacomo Gates & Friends
Felipe Salles Quartet
Dominique Eade
Miro Sprague
Steve Davis, Linda Ransom and the Green Street Trio
Groupo Mambique
Prone to Mischief Marching Band
Expandable Brass Band

2015

Zaccai Curtis Latin Jazz Quartet featuring Ray Vega
Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke aDuo
Edmar Casteneda Trio
Expandable Brass Band
Pete McGuinness Quartet
Jeff Holmes Quartet
The Franz Robert/Benny Woodard Trio featuring Conner Duke on bass

2014

Etienne Charles
Seamus Blake Quintet
Champian Fulton
Steve Davis
Hendrik Meurkins, Scott Mullett & The Green Street Trio
Miro Sprague Quintet featuring Marty Jaffe
FlavaEvolution

2013

Ryan Emken Quartet
Samirah Evans & Her Handsome Devils
Hailey Niswanger Quartet with Ralph Peterson Jr. 
Green Street Trio with Houston Person
Ben Allison Group with Steve Cardenas & Allison Miller
Al Foster Quartet with Eric Alexander

2012

Matt Wilson's Arts & Crafts Band with Gary Versace
Gary Smulyan Quartet with Peter Bernstein Mike LeDonne & Kenny Washington
Sheryl Bailey with Ron Oswanski & Ian Froman
Free-For-All with Micah Maurio Ben Falkoff, Tim Harrington & Drew Pitteroff
Jessica Freeman
FlavaEvolution

2011

Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet
Gene Bernoncini/Rick Balestra Duo
Marcus Strickland
John Ellis
The Geoff Vidal Trio
Charlie Apicella & Iron City
The Valley Cookers with Gary Smulyan
Freddie Bryant
Charles Neville & Ed Byrne