Since receiving his B.A. in Jazz and African-American Music Studies from Umass Amherst, Dylan Walter has played with numerous local bands and artists, both in live settings and as a session musician.

This small combo, with Michael Goldman on clarinet, plays primarily swing music, from the era when clarinet was king. Whether a cocktail party, family celebration, or MainStage event, the Favala Jazz Quartet will have you swaying in your seat or on your feet.

Carolyn Dufraine is a trombonist/vocalist originally from Westfield, Massachusetts. She received her BM in trombone from Westfield State University in 2018, under the private instruction of Mr. Timothy Atherton. She then earned her MM in Trombone Performance at UMass Amherst in 2022, under the tutelage of Mr. Gregory Spirodopoulos.

Carolyn has been a freelance musician since 2012, hired to perform in various bands and collaborations around the region. 

In addition to her freelance career, she travels around Western Mass teaching private lessons on trombone, trumpet and euphonium. 

Guitarist Joe Belmont performs at La Veracruzana on Friday, July 10 from 7:00 to 9:30 PM as part of Northampton Jazz Festival’s Side of Jazz during Arts Night Out.

Doug Hewitt (guitar and vocals) and Mitch Pine (piano) perform as a duo at The Eric Carle Museum of Art in Amherst, MA on Thursday, July 9 from 5:00 to 7:30 PM during Sunset Thursday at The Carle.

Reservations Recommeded: paulandelizabeths.com

On the second Friday of each month after Arts Night Out, Jazz Fest brings a duo or trio to a featured downtown establishment so you can enjoy live jazz while you sip and dine after Arts Night Out!

The GIRLS in the BAND tells the poignant, untold stories of female jazz and big band instrumentalists and their fascinating, groundbreaking journeys from the late 20's to the present day. These incredibly talented women endured sexism, racism and diminished opportunities for decades, yet continue today to persevere, inspire and elevate their talents in a field that seldom welcomed them.

The Juan Araneda trio offers a delightful blend of musical styles centered around Latin jazz genres including samba, bossa nova, salsa, fusion, classic jazz standards, a touch of flamenco and more! Juan specializes in nylon stringed guitar accompanied by Nick Shaw, a master Afro-Puerto Rican drummer/percussionist, and Ed Montalvo, electric bassist and founding member of the NYC Latin group Seguida among numerous other ensembles. 

Join us for this week’s Side of Jazz with rising jazz musicians Matt Dwonzyk & Dan Liparini on Friday, May 8th at Eastside Grill!

The Carletones are a powerhouse jazz duo made up of Dylan Walter and Aeneas Strozier, both homegrown musicians from the UMass Amherst jazz department. Drawing from a wide range of styles and influences, they explore the music of the 20th century from all angles. Whether it's the classics from the Great American Songbook or the music of 1970s singer-songwriters, they always bring a unique and personal touch to their performances.

Civil Disobedience, created by New York bassist David Ambrosio, is a project meticulously crafted to showcase the compositions of progressive jazz maestros from the late 60s Blue Note Era.

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On the second Friday of each month after Arts Night Out, Jazz Fest brings a duo or trio to a featured downtown establishment so you can enjoy live jazz while you sip and dine after Arts Night Out!

A versatile woodwind artist, Aidan Higgins performs with creative flair across saxophones, flutes, and clarinets. Grounded in both classical and jazz traditions, he brings personality and musicality to every setting. Through jazz improvisation, he folds in his influences from a diverse array of styles to create rich musical journeys for any setting.

Peter Bernstein Quartet: Peter Bernstein (guitar), featuring Aaron Goldberg (piano), Vicente Archer (bass), Joe Farnsworth (drums).

Sponsored by Amherst Oyster Bar, which will donate 20% of dinner-service profits on March 7th to the Northampton Jazz Festival.

In addition, guests who present their tickets to the Peter Bernstein Trio while dining at the Amherst Oyster Bar will receive six complimentary oysters* per ticket.

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A dynamic jazz piano and cello duet that blends improvisation with classical expressionism, crafting an ambiance colored by your favorite jazz classics in an inspiring new light. 

You can expect to hear pieces by some of our favorite jazz composers including Bill Evans, Chick Corea, Michel Petrucciani, Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Frank Zappa and many others.

On the second Friday of each month after Arts Night Out, Jazz Fest brings a duo or trio to a featured downtown establishment so you can enjoy live jazz while you sip and dine after Arts Night Out!

Trombonist Carolyn Dufraine and her trio – Jonathan Talbott on violin and Kip Beacco on guitar – will take you to places you've never been before as this Hot Club du France jazz trio entertains you during Solstice Spells. Often singing in another language, Carolyn and her band bring an unpredictable impulse to their music that will heighten the magic of the evening.  

On the second Friday of each month after Arts Night Out, Jazz Fest brings a duo or trio to a featured downtown establishment so you can enjoy live jazz while you sip and dine after Arts Night Out.

On the second Friday of each month after Arts Night Out, Jazz Fest brings a duo or trio to a featured downtown establishment so you can enjoy live jazz while you sip and dine after Arts Night Out!

Our FREE music lineup features jazz musicians from across the country and the region performing in downtown venues throughout the day.

Jazz Fest 2025 culminates in a special evening with New York Voices – The Grand Finale performing a ticketed show from 7:30-9:00 at the Academy of Music.

Free live jazz all night

Strut from place to place at your own pace, or  linger over dinner and drinks at your favorite spot. No need to rush from one establishment to the other to catch the music!

Please be sure to show your gratitude by ordering food or beverage when you are there!

Reservations are not required, but they are encouraged if you want to be sure to get a table.

On the second Friday of each month after Arts Night Out, Jazz Fest brings a duo or trio to a featured downtown establishment so you can enjoy live jazz while you sip and dine after Arts Night Out!

The Northampton Jazz Festival brings live jazz ensembles to participating retailers throughout Downtown Northampton for a special edition of Arts Night Out in September.

Take a trip to Europe with the Lucky 3, a hot-club style jazz trio led by trombonist Carolyn Dufraine. Singing in French and playing tunes in an upbeat gypsy jazz style drawing from the DJango Reinhardt tradition, this lively trio will delight with their joyful playfulness and serious musicality.

Clarinetist, saxophonist, vocalist and educator Evan Arntzen teams up with pianist, educator and composer Matt DeChamplain to present a timeless selection of tunes from the Great American tradition of Jazz. From ragtime and stride, to bebop and the blues, this duo will take you on a true jazz journey.

On the second Friday of each month after Arts Night Out, Jazz Fest brings a duo or trio to a featured downtown establishment so you can enjoy live jazz while you sip and dine after Arts Night Out!

This dynamic jazz piano and cello duet brings a bold blend of improvisation and classical expression to their own unique arrangements of jazz standards and original works. Expect to hear a few pieces by some of our favorite pianists, such as Bill Evans, Chick Corea, and Michel Petrucciani, pieces by Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Clifford Brown and Frank Zappa, as well as a few of Fontana’s original compositions.

.mp3 is a genre-bending trio driven by a spirit of fearless creativity. With roots in jazz and hip-hop, they avoid easy categorization by harnessing improvisation, rhythmic interplay, and emotional nuance to craft a sound entirely their own. .mp3 brings a fresh voice to the modern jazz landscape, pushing boundaries with intention and intensity.

On the second Friday of each month after Arts Night Out, Jazz Fest brings a duo or trio to a featured downtown establishment so you can enjoy live jazz while you sip and dine after Arts Night Out!

Ryan Hollander is a dynamic jazz vocalist with a soulful sound and captivating stage presence, bringing timeless swing and heartfelt storytelling to every performance. With deep roots in the jazz tradition, Ryan’s mature and historically-informed sound carries with it an uncompromising sense of freshness and individuality, integrating elements of pop, R&B, and rock.