Rochester International Jazz Festival Announces New Name and New Title Sponsor
Oct 14, 2008

Festival Becomes Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival

Club Pass Goes on Sale Friday October 24

Rochester, NY October 14, 2008Organizers of the Rochester International Jazz Festival (www.rochesterjazz.com) presented by M&T Bank announced today that they will welcome Xerox Corporation, the world's leading document management technology and services enterprise, as the Festivals first title sponsor. The eighth edition of the nine-day Festival, June 12-20, 2009, will mark the debut of the Festivals new name, the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival.

We are honored to welcome Xerox as our first title sponsor and thank them for joining our team, said Marc Iacona, Festival Producer and Executive Director. Xeroxs support, which is a multi-year agreement, recognizes the work we have done to build this Festival and will enable us to continue to deliver a spectacular line-up of great music from around the world.

Since it was founded in 2002, the Rochester International Jazz Festival has set consecutive attendance records, drawing more than 125,000 music lovers in 2008 to hear some of the finest musicians from all over the world to perform. The Festival has been widely recognized for its substantial international artist lineup and European style format that enables fans to walk among all venues, for delivering a broad spectrum of creative improvised music from rising stars to Grammy-award-winning legends, and for its dedication to building the next generation of musicians and music fans with concerts, workshops and scholarships.

The Rochester International Jazz Festival is a growing event with vibrant spirit, making a compelling connection to the new Xerox brand, said Christa Carone, vice president, marketing and communications, Xerox Corporation.

Xerox Corporation was founded in Rochester, New York in 1906 as The Haloid Company, and was named Xerox Corporation in 1961. A $17 billion company, Xerox provides the industry's broadest portfolio of color and black-and-white document processing systems and related supplies, as well as document management consulting and outsourcing services.

John Nugent, Festival Producer and Artistic Director, said, I am thrilled that Xerox has chosen to partner with us. The prestige and international recognition that the Xerox brand brings to our Festival will enhance our Festivals recognition and stature throughout the world and further heighten the focus on Rochester as a major music destination. The fact that a major international company has chosen to invest its marketing dollars in our event underscores the prominence that Rochester and our Festival have attained. We are grateful for their support.

We are pleased that the momentum we have built with this Festival has generated significant value on many levels, added Iacona. It gives our corporate sponsors a vehicle to promote their products and services. And thanks to the support of our government sponsors Mayor Robert Duffy and the City of Rochester, founding sponsors New York State Senator Jim Alesi and Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks the Festival has become a signature event for Rochester, showcasing its cultural, business and tourism assets, expanding access to a diverse audience, and contributing to the regions economic development.

Club Pass Goes on Sale Friday October 24 at 10 AM
Ticket prices for the Club Pass and individual Club Pass shows will remain the same as last year. The popular Club Pass, which provides access to approximately 150 Club Pass shows, goes on sale Friday October 24 at 10 AM, at the special holiday price of $105 plus $4 service charge. The price is good until 12 Noon EST January 1, 2009, when it increases to $135 plus $4 service charge until sold out.

More than half of all Club Passes available last year were sold before the end of December and the Club Pass sold out before the festival began. A limited number of passes is available. Purchase at www.rochesterjazz.com or www.ticketmaster.com, (585) 232-1900, or at any Ticketmaster outlet.

Lineup and More Information
The Festivals 2009 lineup will be announced in April. Visit rochesterjazz.com for news, photo coverage of last years event and more.

About RIJF
The Rochester International Jazz Festival was founded in 2002 and is produced by John Nugent, Artistic Director and Marc Iacona, Executive Director. Nugent, a noted tenor sax player, has traveled the world with many jazz artists including Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, Clark Terry, The Woody Herman Orchestra and The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Iacona, a Rochester native, business and community leader, avid trumpeter and supporter of the arts, is President of Simcona Electronics.

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Media Contact:
Jean Dalmath
Dalmath Associates Inc.
585-586-6650 Direct
585-755-6911 Mobile
jean@rochesterjazz.com
jdalmath@dalmath.com