Syracuse International Jazz Fest
About the festival
The Syracuse International Jazz Fest is one of Central New York’s most celebrated cultural events, known for bringing world-class music to the area. Founded in 1982 by noted jazz and entertainment impresario Frank Malfitano, the festival began as a modest indoor effort to showcase Syracuse-area jazz and quickly grew into a major annual outdoor attraction. Held each summer, the event has consistently remained free to the public, reflecting its mission to make high-quality music accessible to all.
Over the decades, the festival has hosted an impressive line-up of internationally renowned performers spanning jazz, blues, R&B, and pop. Artists such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, B.B. King & Kenny G have graced its stages, drawing large and diverse audiences. While rooted in jazz, the festival has evolved to embrace a broader range of musical styles, helping it remain relevant and appealing to multiple generations of listeners.
The festival has also helped shape the community’s identity and cultural pride. By transforming venues into a vibrant gathering space, the event fosters a sense of unity and shared experience among residents and visitors to the region. It has become a long-standing summer tradition, symbolizing the area’s commitment to the arts and its ability to host events of international calibre. More than four decades after its founding, the Syracuse International Jazz Fest remains a cornerstone of the local cultural landscape and a testament to the enduring power of music to bring communities together.
Founder & producer
Frank malfitano
Frank Malfitano is a pioneering music enthusiast and cultural advocate whose work has shaped the artistic identity of Syracuse for more than five decades. His passion dates back to his childhood playing clarinet as a student musician in the 1950’s and early 1960’s, but was truly sparked in 1969, when visits to Woodstock and to San Francisco exposed him to the energy and community spirit of large-scale music events. That experience gave him what he later described as the “itch” to bring a similar cultural vitality to Syracuse, setting the stage for a career dedicated to producing concerts, series and festivals and fostering the area’s regional music scene.
Malfitano began building that vision through attending nightly concerts at SU’s Jabberwocky nightclub among others. Frank presented his first major concerts at the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse from 1980 to 1985. During this period, he established himself as a leading concert promoter, bringing nationally-recognized talent to the city and demonstrating that Syracuse could support high-calibre live performances. In 1982, he founded the Syracuse International Jazz Fest, which would grow into one of the largest free jazz festivals in the United States and become the cornerstone of his legacy.
Beyond the jazz festival, Malfitano’s influence extended into multiple facets of the music and arts community. In 1991, he created the Syracuse Walk of Stars, honoring notable figures with ties to the city and Syracuse University, and in 1993 he founded the SAMMY Awards to recognize and support local musicians. His work also reached the national stage when he served as co producer of the first-ever National Jazz Awards at Manhattan’s Lincoln Center, Associate Publisher of Washington, DC’s JazzTimes Magazine and as producer of the Detroit International Jazz Festival from 2000 to 2006, further cementing his reputation as a major force in the live music industry.
Throughout his career, Malfitano has remained deeply committed to using music as a vehicle for community engagement and cultural enrichment. His efforts have not only brought internationally-acclaimed artists to Syracuse but have also created platforms for local talent and strengthened the city’s creative economy. Widely regarded as a central figure in Syracuse’s cultural development, Malfitano’s legacy is defined by his enduring dedication to making world-class music accessible while fostering civic pride and connection within the community.
