Events

The 2026 festival took place July 10–11 at Court Square, downtown Springfield. A gathering rooted in music, culture and community, it brought the spirit of jazz and roots music into the heart of the city.

This past edition belongs to a continuing story: Blues to Green bringing people together through the music of the African diaspora and the shared language of the arts.

Artist lineup

• Dumpstaphunk
• Etienne Charles: Gullah Roots
• Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos
• Zaccai Curtis: Cubop Lives!
• David Rivera y La Bámbula
• Malado!
• All the Rivers
• Chestina Thrower
• Dan Gabel’s Jazz Ultimate
• Zikina
• Community Music School of Springfield / Sonido Musica
• Lexi Weege
• Savoir Faire
• Pamela Means
• Britt Brideau
• JJ Slater
• Flip Factory performers
• DJ Boogy
• Roshay
• DJ Mela

Blues to Green and HOPE Center for the Arts co-presented this New Orleans all-star benefit for the Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival at HOPE Center, 150 Bridge Street, Springfield.

The lineup brought together Cyril Neville, Omari Neville, Ian Neville, Big Chief Bo Dollis Jr., Jelly Joseph, Robert Mercurio, Joe Ashlar and Brian Richburg Jr., with project director Martin Shore. Inspired by the Take Me to the River film and album, the concert celebrated New Orleans musical heritage while supporting the free festival.

Blues to Green and Springfield Performing Arts Ventures, Inc. co-presented Fat Tuesday Jazz Night at 52 Sumner Avenue in Springfield, a Mardi Gras fundraiser supporting Blues to Green’s arts and community programs.

Badia Farha presented From Ella to Amy, followed by Samirah Evans and Her Handsome Devils with New Orleans-inspired jazz, funk and Mardi Gras music. Chef Wayne provided Creole and Cajun cuisine.

The 2025 Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival took place July 11–12, 2025, bringing music and community together in downtown Springfield.

Artist lineup

• DJ Onyx
• Endea Owens & The Cookout
• El Laberinto del Coco
• Water Seed: Journey to Funkstar
• Gaby Moreno with Mercedes Escobar
• Merging Roots: Elio Villafranca & William Cepeda
• The Black Legacy Project
• Celebrating Joe Cocker with Mitch Chakour and members of Joe Cocker’s touring band
• Richard Parris Scott & The Band
• Sarah Hanahan Quartet
• Community Music School of Springfield
• Suadela Love Experience with Christina Colón
• Fabeyon
• The Jo Sallins Experience

The 2024 Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival took place July 12–13, 2024, bringing music and community together in downtown Springfield.

Artist lineup

• Alfredo Rodriguez Trio
• Brandee Younger
• Community Music School of Springfield / Sonido Musica
• Franky Rodriguez Orquestra
• Glen David Andrews
• Heshima Moja
• LeFever
• Malado!
• Misty Blues
• Nat Reeves Quartet
• Pahua
• Ranky Tanky with Ms. Lisa Fischer
• Ron Smith and the Soulful Jazz Trio
• Samirah Evans & Her Handsome Devils
• Sonny Stitt Tribute
• T’Swan & Talynt
• The Dwonztet
• The Paradigm Shift: V. Jeffrey Smith and Melanie Athena, with Lisa Fischer and the Community Music School of Springfield’s Children’s Choir

Jazz & Justice programming included a Second Line dance workshop with Tracey Thomas and a Digital Storytelling Space at Tower Square exploring Arts for Racial & Climate Justice.

The 2023 Springfield Jazz & Roots Festival took place July 20–22, 2023, bringing music and community together in downtown Springfield.

Artist lineup

• Avery Sharpe’s 400 Project with members of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, The Extended Family Choir, Don Braden, Duane Eubanks, Ronnie Burrage and Tony Vacca
• Brown Rice Family
• Community Music School of Springfield
• Delfayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra
• Evan Aarntzen
• Fabeyon
• Frank Manzi
• Garifuna Collective
• Imperial Boxmen
• Jane Bunnett and Maqueque
• Jayko Y Su KomboLoko
• Jonathan Barber & Vision Ahead
• Jonathan Suazo
• The Paradigm Shift Project: V. Jeffrey Smith, Sara Devine & Marcus Machado
• Ron Smith and the Soulful Jazz Trio
• Shemekia Copeland
• Tang Sauce
• TapRoots

An earlier chapter in Springfield’s annual celebration of jazz and roots music: a gathering of music, community and the rich cultural traditions of the African diaspora.

Part of the festival’s continuing mission to bring the city’s diverse communities together through the arts.

Artist lineup

• Adi Oasis
• Shor’ty Billups
• Albino Mbie
• Janet Ryan
• Martha Redbone Roots Project
• The Buddy McEarns Band
• Linda Ransom + Trilogy
• Dayme Arocena
• New Breed Brass Band
• Curtis Haywood
• Mitch Chakour and Friends
• Haneef Nelson Quintet
• William Cepeda Afro-Rican Jazz
• Tang Sauce
• Les Boulevardiers
• Bomba De Aqui
• Jesús Pagán Y Su Orquesta
• DJ Chico
• FAT with Scott Murawski of Max Creek

A downtown gathering in the spirit of jazz, roots music and shared celebration. This past festival reflects Blues to Green’s commitment to cultural heritage, community connection and racial justice.

Artist lineup

• Tang Sauce
• Rev. Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou + The Freedom Fighters
• Claudia Acuña
• Etienne Charles + Creole Soul
• Hailey Brinnel
• Henri Smith + Flavours
• The Berkshire Bateria
• The Kevin Sharpe Group
• TC Eckstein Vocalese-Jazz Ensemble
• The Salsa Train Orquestra
• MISTER G
• Fabeyon
• Chuck Langford
• Khalif Neville
• Jo Sallins Quartet (official afterparty)

Gili Yalo and the Anbessa Orchestra brought funk, soul and Ethio-jazz to an outdoor and livestreamed event at Bombyx Art Space in Florence, Massachusetts, in partnership with Beit Ahavah synagogue.

Through songs in English, Hebrew and Amharic, the performance connected Ethiopian and Jewish diasporas, pairing music with the story of Yalo’s cultural heritage.

Felipe Salles and the Interconnections Ensemble combined music from a 19-piece ensemble with video to tell the stories of nine Dreamers protected by DACA.

A panel discussion with the composer and featured Dreamers gave context to the performance, inviting listeners to better understand the undocumented immigrant experience.

Cuban pianist and composer Elio Villafranca presented Standing by the Crossroads with the six-piece Jass Syncopators as part of a Blues to Green residency.

The music brings jazz together with traditional Afro-Caribbean rhythms. Its crossroads theme draws on Villafranca’s experiences of cultural identity, artistic expression and choices between conflicting paths.