This year’s Rubber City Jazz and Blues Festival, which kicks off Thursday, Sept. 5, and runs through Saturday, Sept. 7, will feature 29 performances, five panel discussions and one film screening.
Outside of headliner Aneesa Strings’ Saturday evening performance at the Knight Stage, all of the events are free and open to the public.
Nine venues throughout downtown will play host to the festival, including the Knight Stage, Musica, BLU Jazz+ and the Akron Art Museum. A new addition this year is an outdoor stage on North High Street near East Market Street.
Thursday, Sept. 5
Sam Blakeslee Large Group
8 p.m. – 9:15 p.m.
BLU Jazz+
Nick Paparone Jam Session
9:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.
BLU Jazz+
Friday, Sept. 6
Chris Coles’ Love Demon
5 p.m. – 5:55 p.m.
Akron Main Library Auditorium
Ronell Regis’ Grenada to the World
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Akron Art Museum Garden
Bobby Selvaggio Quintet featuring Sean Jones
6:15 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Akron Main Library Auditorium
Barbara Rosene Quintet
8 – 9 p.m.
BLU Jazz+
MOVIE: Sun Ra’s Space is the Place
8:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Akron Art Museum Garden
Abstract Sounds
9:30 p.m. – 10:45 p.m.
BLU Jazz+
Saturday, Sept. 7
Rustbelt Revitalization: The Importance of Municipal Support for Arts & Culture and the Creative Economy
11 a.m. – noon
Akron Art Museum Auditorium
Dan Bruce’s Ohm!
11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Mustill Store Stage
Psychedelics in Music: Fueling Artist Imagination & Creativity
12:15 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Akron Art Museum Auditorium
Open Tone Music Youth Ensemble
12:15 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Mustill Store Stage
Giant Steps: Navigating the Challenges of the Jazz Scene as a Rising Artist
12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
High Street Stage
Tour Life Journeys: Preparing for Opportunities in Traveling Live Entertainment
1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Akron Art Museum Auditorium
Tuneful Traditions: Representing Akron’s Forgotten Jazz & Blues History
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
High Street Stage
Sunny Tabler and the Trapper Keepers
1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Mustill Store Stage
JJ Johnson Centennial Celebration
3 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
High Street Stage
Jazz Heritage Lil Orchestra
4:15 p.m. – 5 p.m.
High Street Stage
The Michael Weber Show
5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
High Street Stage
Open Tone Music Youth Ensemble
5:45 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Musica
Lukas Kadish
6:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
Circle of 5ths
Alex Hamburger
6:45 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
High Street Stage
Corey Dennison
7 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.
Musica
Dan Wilson (tickets required)
7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
The Knight Stage
Jennifer James
7:30 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.
Circle of 5ths
Aaron Smith & RDAA
8 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Jilly’s Music Room
Da Land Brass Band
8 p.m. – 9 p.m.
High Street Stage
The Smokeface Band
8:15 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Musica
The Stix Trio
8:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Circle of 5ths
Aneesa Strings (tickets required)
Performance relocated to the Knight Stage from the Goodyear Theater
9 p.m. – 10 p.m.
The Knight Stage
Community Shoe
9 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Baxter’s Speakeasy
Nathan-Paul & The Admirables
9:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Musica
Hubb’s Groove
10 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Jilly’s Music Room
JT’s Electrik Blackout
10:15 p.m. – 11:15 p.m.
Baxter’s Speakeasy
DJ Foxytrott
Saturday at 11:30 p.m. – Sunday 1:30 a.m.
Baxter’s Speakeasy
