Hudson Jazz Festival Brings Life to City This Weekend

Friday–Sunday, October 2–4 (festival eve Thursday, October 1) | Hudson, NY

The Hudson Jazz Festival returns for its ninth year, spread across Hudson's walkable downtown. Hudson Hall, the 1855 theater that started the festival in 2018, hosts three mainstage concerts. Free performances fill the city around them, at the farmers market, the Amtrak station, restaurants, and shops. Broadcaster Keanna Faircloth, formerly host of Afternoon Jazz on WBGO, hosts the weekend.

The mainstage lineup starts Friday with Cuban-born drummer and composer Dafnis Prieto, a MacArthur Fellow and Grammy winner, leading his Sí o Sí Quartet. Saturday brings South African vocalist Vuyo Sotashe and pianist Chris Pattishall. Sunday's closer is Hartford-born vocalist Shenel Johns, who grew up on her Jamaican family's gospel and reggae and has performed with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. She won first prize at the Riga Jazz Stage Vocal Competition, and her recording "Stars" came out this summer.

The Sunday family concert is the festival's kid-friendly afternoon. "Lady Moon & Friends: Back to the Garden" is built around Hudson's own Lady Moon, aka Ngonda Badila. The kids can sing, dance, make art, and eat pizza. It opens with children's art activities led by illustrator Ntangou Badila and a banjo circle with Zack Munsell, then moves to the concert. The afternoon also celebrates the release of Ngonda and Ntangou Badila's first children's book, Back to the Garden, with a signing and copies for sale.

Mainstage passes are sold out. Single tickets start at $40, and buyers 25 and under pay $15 with the code UNDER25. Tickets to partner-venue events start at $10, and all "Sounds Around Town" sets are free.

Shedual at a Glance:

Thursday, October 1

• 6pm: Free Community Kickoff at The Hudson Harmonic

Friday, October 2

• 1:30–3:30pm: John Esposito at Hudson Hall (free)
• 4–6pm: Leo Belsky at the Hudson Amtrak Station (free)
• 4–6pm: Maia Jarrett Quartet at Hudson Brewing Co. (free)
• 6–9pm: John Esposito at Isaan Thai Star (free)
• 7pm: Dafnis Prieto, Sí o Sí Quartet, Hudson Hall mainstage
• 9pm: The Late Set, opening-night afterparty at The Spark of Hudson, with bassist Tristen Jarvis and a live DJ (ticketed)

Saturday, October 3

• 9:15–10:45am: Nico Bald Trio at the Hudson Farmers Market (free)
• 11am–1pm: Pocket Merchant at Pocket Park, 300 block of Warren Street (free)
• 11:15am–1pm: Sparrow Lore at the Hudson Farmers Market (free)
• 1pm: Lunch & Learn, a conversation with Faircloth, Sotashe, and Pattishall at The Spark of Hudson (free, reservations required)
• 1:30–3:30pm: Sam Bernhardt Quartet at Pocket Park (free)
• 3:30–5:30pm: Lillie Rivera Rosario Duo at Padrona (free)
• 4–6pm: Erin Hobson and Jasmine Caperton Duo at The Hudson Milliner (free)
• 4:30–6pm: Leo Belsky and Max Barnes Duo at Marine Penvern Atelier (free)
• 6–9pm: Leo Belsky at Isaan Thai Star (free)
• 7pm: Vuyo Sotashe and Chris Pattishall, Hudson Hall mainstage
• 9pm: Mino 4 Miles: Inspired by Miles Davis at Park Theater (ticketed)

Sunday, October 4

• 11am: Jazz Brunch with São Paulo-born guitarist Vinícius Gomes at Pocketbook Hudson. Gomes has appeared on more than 40 recordings and has played Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.
• 11am–1pm: Adriana Tampasis and Omer Shemesh at The Secret Gardener (free)
• 12–2pm: Bard College Jazz Ensemble at Pocket Park (free)
• 1pm: Lady Moon & Friends, family concert at The Half Moon (tickets at the door)
• 5pm: Shenel Johns, Hudson Hall mainstage
• 5:30–8:30pm: Armen Donelian at Isaan Thai Star (free)