The mission of the Uptown Jazz Orchestra is to promote a greater appreciation for jazz and its New Orleans’ rooted traditions through world-class performance, artistic excellence, education and community.

Featuring up to 18 accomplished musicians, the Uptown Jazz Orchestra sets the global standard for celebrating jazz in its authentic musical form, inspiring the next generation of jazz musicians and promoting a culture of diversity, inclusion and accessibility in the arts.

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Delfayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra

Charles Neville Main Stage

Jonathan Barber is a renowned international artist, composer, educator, and bandleader. In 2018, he was voted the #1 Up-and-Coming Drummer by Modern Drummer, solidifying his position as a rising star in the music industry. With a stellar reputation as a sideman, Barber has already recorded and toured worldwide with esteemed artists like Pat Metheny, Terence Blanchard, Erykah Badu, Nicholas Payton, and many others.

Jonathan Barber & Vision Ahead

Jayko Y Su KomboLoko has been around since the year 2000. They launched their first major recording in March of 2009, “Dime Lo Que Quieres” with special guest singer Ray De La Paz, and band members Alvin Santos, Eddie Temporal, and Art Jayko Clinton. The release was a great success heard all over the world. This year KomboLoko will pay Tribute to the music of Willie Colon , Hector Lavoe , and Ruben Blades. These artists inspired KomboLoko to be the musicians that they are today, and they hope that you will enjoy the music they perform, and that listeners and dancers will never forget those years of the 70's and 80's… As they say, “Those were the greatest times! Let's go back there and enjoy!”


Jayko Y Su KomboLoko

Urban Roots Stage

Avery Sharpe’s project, “400 An African American Musical Portrait” was recorded in 2018 for its 2019 release on JKNM Records. Sharpe decided to mark the 400th year of Africans being brought to the US shores in Virginia in 1619 as enslaved people with a musical portrait/recording.

Avery Sharpe

Podcast link: https://youtu.be/4hagYvrYbuM

The Artelize Podcast and Kasper Holten - Pedefining Opera for the modern world

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d36M5Hi6O80

The Artelize Podcast - A legacy of innovation in Opera: Celebrating Marc A. Scorca

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59E40S_EQSY

The Artelize Podcast: A love letter that was never sent

Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THv6htilWtI

The Artelize Podcast and Adolfo Corrado: Mediterranean flavors, opera and social media

Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, a jazz group led by five-time Juno Award winner Jane Bunnett, have become a prominent force in the North American jazz scene. Bunnett, who has received numerous accolades including Grammy nominations, The Order of Canada, and The Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, has dedicated herself to showcasing exceptional musical talent from Canada, the US, and Cuba.

Jane Bunnett and Maqueque

Saxophone player/guitarist/singer V. Jeffrey Smith is a musical phenomenon whose career spans more than 4 decades. He’s a master musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, writer and producer who has played on countless gold and platinum records, and a record producer with credits that include Daryl Hall, Corey Glover, Paula Abdul, Heather Headley and Tamia among many others. V. Jeff is also a co-founder of The Family Stand, known for their hit “Ghetto Heaven”, and a current member of the Burnt Sugar Arkestra, founded by the late great Greg Tate. V. Jeff’s vast credits include his iconic and instantly recognizable sax solo on Billie Ocean’s “Caribbean Queen”, and his equally notable sax solo on “Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car”; his trademark sound can be heard on hundreds more memorable albums, with more than 27,000 musical pieces available on the marketplace.

The Paradigm Shift Project

Step into the captivating world of jazz funerals & second line parades of New Orleans with the thought-provoking film, "City of a Million Dreams." Join us at the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival for special screenings of this mesmerizing documentary that unravels the enigmatic tradition of jazz funerals.

City of a Million Dreams - Film Screening

Reevx Labs

Jonathan Suazo is a Puerto Rican Saxophonist / Composer / Educator. His music is inspired by artists like Kenny Garrett, Miguel Zenón, David Sánchez, John Coltrane and many more. His new afro-caribbean project RICANO is currently on tour as it leads to the official album release with Ropeadope Records on August 4th 2023. The Ricano project highlights traditional rhythms from Jonathan's Puerto Rican / Dominican roots within a Cross-Cultural Fusion container of his musical influences. Prior to his set, Jonathan will be offering an interactive workshop with the attending community.

Jonathan Suazo

Evan Arntzen, Canadian-born musician renowned for his exceptional talents as a distinct and expressive sound, he has captivated audiences and garnered praise from acclaimed writer Ricky Riccardi, a Grammy Award winner.

Raised in East Vancouver, Evan's musical journey was ignited by the vibrant melodies of New Orleans. Under the tutelage of his grandfather, Lloyd Arntzen, he delved into the art of New Orleans-style clarinet at a young age.

Evan Aarntzen

The Soulful Jazz Trio are a collection of Western Massachusetts’ most established musicians / educators / entertainers. Very highly skilled musicians who share their love and passion for all styles of jazz and instrumental Pop music. The Soulful Jazz Trio have performed at The Indie Soul Music Festival, First Night of Northampton, Dewey’s Jazz Lounge, The Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival, Thursday Jazz Sessions at The Wurst Haus in Northampton, Deerfield Inn-Champney’s Summer Patio Music Series, and the Northampton Jazz Festival. Prepare yourself for a night of soulful and energetic music. They are 3 but sound like a 6 piece ensemble.

Ron Smith and the Soulful Jazz Trio

TapRoots is a musical project led by composer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Matthew King. Their music is characterized by a unique and complex blend of various genres, including Funk, Soul, Salsa, Afrobeat, Reggae, Afro-Cuban jazz, rock and roll, samba, and folkloric rhythms. The aim of TapRoots is to explore and fuse together these diverse musical influences, creating a cohesive and compelling sound.

TapRoots

Frank Manzi has been plugging away for 3 decades in Western Massachusetts, quietly making a succession of great albums. Manzi is a passionate singer and writer, straight out of the Springsteen/Mellencamp school of rock. Manzi does not stop. He enjoys the whole process. “I am in my best spirits when I can create a song from beginning to end, then move to recording, then to performance, plus I get to do it with some of my best friends… It’s a beautiful journey!!” Manzi is excited and honored to help kick off (with his band) the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival in his hometown on Friday July 21st, directly in front of a refurbished mural in Stearns Square, where his former bandmates recorded a video that won the MTV Basement tapes in 1986. You can check out Frank Manzi’s 7 recordings on YouTube, Spotify, and iTunes.

Frank Manzi

Imperial Boxmen is a band led by keyboardist and producer Kevin Ford. The band's music is a fusion of various genres including downtempo, jazz, funk, Afrobeat, and the Ethiopian sound of the 1970s. The band originally started as a niche acid jazz trio in Chicago, consisting of Ford, Alex Austin, and Noah Plotkin. Their early focus was on recreating the songs sampled in 90s hip hop.

Imperial Boxmen

Shemekia Copeland is an award-winning blues, soul, and Americana singer known for her instantly recognizable and deeply soulful voice. Born and raised in Harlem, New York, Copeland made her debut on stage with her famous father at the age of eight. She burst onto the blues and R&B scene with her Alligator Records debut album “Turn The Heat Up” at the young age of 18, instantly establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with.

Shemekia Copeland

Afro Puerto Rican and Afro Dominican Music Workshop with Jonathan Suazo

The Garifuna Collective was co-founded and led by the late Andy Palacio (1960–2008), a musician dedicated to preserving the unique Garifuna language and culture. Today this group of accomplished, multi-generational Garifuna artists continues to tour and perform in Palacio’s memory and with his commitment to keeping Garifuna tradition and language alive against their threatened extinction. The hybrid culture of the African-Amerindian Garifuna communities, located on the Caribbean coasts of Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Honduras, is influenced by West Africa and indigenous Carib, as well as the Arawak Indian language. Garifuna music has gained a following in the form of a less traditional style known as punta rock, but the Garifuna Collective focuses on the roots of Garifuna tradition, adding contemporary elements to traditional forms to bring the soul of this music into a modern context.

Jazz events in Springfield, MA

Delfayo Marsalis & the Up...

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

Jonathan Barber & Vision ...

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

Jayko Y Su KomboLoko

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

Avery Sharpe

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast - A ...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast: A l...

Artelize

The Artelize Podcast and ...

Artelize

Jane Bunnett and Maqueque...

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

The Paradigm Shift Projec...

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

City of a Million Dreams ...

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

Jonathan Suazo

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

Evan Aarntzen

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

Ron Smith and the Soulful...

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

TapRoots

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

Frank Manzi

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

Imperial Boxmen

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

Shemekia Copeland

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

Afro Puerto Rican and Afr...

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival

Garifuna Collective

Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival