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Rochester, NY—February 25, 2020—Producers John Nugent and Marc Iacona announced today two more headliners for the 2020  CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival – Puss N Boots - featuring Sasha Dobson, Norah Jones & Catherine Popper, and Wynonna & The Big Noise.

Puss N Boots – featuring Sasha Dobson, Norah Jones & Catherin e Popper will perform on Friday June 19. Puss N Boots first formed in 2008 as a live band performing around Brooklyn. With a repertoire anchored in Americana, country, folk, pop and rock, the band became an outlet for Jones, Dobson and Popper to switch instruments and allowed them to showcase a different side of themselves than on their various solo and side projects. Tickets go on sale Friday February 28 at 10 a.m. and are $83/$73/$53/$33 + service charges.

Wyn onna & The Big Noise Saturday June 20. Wynonna Judd and her band The Big Noise, is led by Judd's husband drummer/producer, Cactus Moser. Respected by the millions of fans who are drawn to her music and undeniable talent, Wynonna’s rich and commanding voice has sold over 30-million albums worldwide spanning her remarkable 34-year career. Opening for Wynonna & The Big Noise is Country Tribute Celebration The Music of Tim McGraw/Eric Church & Jason Aldean . Tickets go on sale Friday February 28 at 10 a.m. and are $73/$63/$53/$33 + service charges.

Ti ckets for both shows go on sale Friday, February 28 at 10 a.m. exclusively at  RochesterJazz.com  or by calling (585) 454-2060. All headliner shows are at 8 PM at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.

The festival's 19th edition will be held June 19 to 27, 2020 featuring more than 325 shows and 1750 artists in multiple indoor and outdoor venues in downtown Rochester, New York. The 2019 festival wrapped up with attendance of more than 208,000.

The full lineup including the Club Pass Series and free shows will be announced March 17.

Tickets are on sale now for previously announced headliners Spyro Gyra, Nile Rodgers and CHIC, and Garth Fagan Dance & Monty Alexander. Three and nine-day Club Passes are also on sale. Prices increase March 17. The Club Pass is the festival's popular value pass to discovery, with access to more th an 228 Club Pass sh ows at a record 13 Club Pass venues.

Puss N Boots – Featuring Sasha Dobson, Norah Jones & Catherine Popper

Tickets: $83/$73/$53/$33 + service charges

On sale Friday February 28, 2020

Puss N Boots first formed in 2008 as a live band performing around Brooklyn. With a repertoire anchored in Americana, country, folk, pop and rock, the band became an outlet for Jones, Dobson and Popper to switch instruments and allowed them to showcase a different side of themselves than on their various solo and side projects. After years of live performances, the trio made a full-length album which resulted in their 2014 debut No Fools, No Fun. Comprised of originals and covers, studio recordings and live performances, the album was praised by  Rolling Stone, Paste, American Songwriter and led to TV performances on  The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and  CBS This Morning.  

About Norah Jones (vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, piano, pipe organ, drums) Norah Jones first emerged with the 2002 release of  Come Away  With Me , her self-described “moody little record” that introduced a singular new voice and grew into a global phenomenon and swept the 2003 GRAMMY Awards.   

About Sasha Dobson (vocals, electric guitar, electric bass, drums) 

Sasha Dobson is a dynamic New York jazz singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She grew up in a family of accomplished jazz musicians including her father, the great pianist Smith Dobson (Red Holloway, Bobby Hutcherson, Art Pepper); her mother, the endearing and sought-after jazz vocalist and educator, Gail Dobson; and her brother, multi-instrumentalist and prodigy of jazz drums, Smith Dobson.

About Catherine Popper (vocals, electric guitar, electric bass, drums, Haken Continuum)  Catherine Popper is a North Carolina native who has performed and recorded with numerous artists including Hem, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Levon Helm, Karen Elson, Rhett Miller, Willie Nelson, Peter Rowan and Tony Rice, Norah Jones, Tommy Stinson, Alejandro Escovedo, She and Him, Jesse  Malin, Boy George, Brian Fallon, Larry Campbell, and Jack White.

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Wynonna & The Big Noise 

Plus! Country Tribute Celebration – The Music of Tim McGraw/Eric Church & Jason Aldean



Saturday June 20, 8 p.m.

Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre

Tickets: $73/$63/$53/$33 + service charges

On Sale Friday February 28 at 10AM

Respected by the millions of fans who are drawn to her music and undeniable talent, Wynonna Judd's rich and commanding voice has sold over 30-million albums worldwide spanning her remarkable 34-year career. As one-half of the legendary mother/daughter duo "The Judds," Wynonna was once dubbed by  Rolling Stone as “the greatest female country singer since Patsy Cline." This iconic performer has received over 60 industry awards, with countless charting singles, including 20 No.1 hits such as “Mama He’s Crazy,” “Why Not me,” and “Grandpa, (Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Ole Days).” 

Wynonna and her band The Big Noise, led by her husband drummer/producer, Cactus Moser, released their debut full-length album in February 2016 via Curb Records to critical acclaim. Wynonna has described the new sound as “vintage yet modern” and a “return to the well.” It’s a rootsy work encompassing country, Americana, blues, soul and rock. The album features special guests Derek Trucks, Jason Isbell, Susan Tedeschi and Timothy B. Schmit. NPR’s Ann Powers noted that, “With her tight band behind her after touring together for several years, she just sounds like she’s home…You can just feel the grin on her face.” 

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About the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival

The  CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival   is one of the world’s leading jazz festivals presenting legendary performers, familiar favorites, rising stars and new discoveries from around the world. The multi-dimensional nine-day festival is held annually in downtown Rochester, NY and presents more than 1750 artists from around the world in more than 330 shows at 21 venues. 

Founded in 2002, attendance has grown from 15,000 in 2002 to 208,000 in 2019. 

In addition to a headliner series and Club Pass Series of 228 shows, the festival presents more than 100 free shows and events including workshops for music students and nightly jam sessions. The RIJF jazz scholarship program has awarded almost $500,000 in scholarships to 40 students entering Eastman School of Music since 2002. 

The CGI  Rochester International Jazz Festival  is produced by RIJF, LLC, a privately held company owned by John Nugent and Marc Iacona. Nugent, Producer and Artistic Director, is a noted tenor sax player, who has traveled the world with many jazz artists including Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, The Woody Herman Orchestra and The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Marc Iacona, Producer and Executive Director, is a Rochester native and President of Simcona Electronics. A business and community leader, he is an avid trumpeter and supporter of the arts.

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