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Jazz on Jay Announces 2026 Series in Downtown Schenectady

SCHENECTADY (May 20) — Downtown Schenectady’s beloved summer tradition returns June 4 as Jazz on Jay launches another season of free outdoor concerts at Jay Square with an energetic opening performance from the Union Collage Jazz Ensemble and a special appearance by the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company.

The long-running lunchtime concert series, every Thursday through Aug. 27, invites audiences to bring their own chairs and enjoy live performances in the heart of downtown Schenectady — Jay Square, across from City Hall.

“Our season openers ignite the summer, bringing downtown Schenectady to life in a way you don’t want to miss,” said Lanaea Bailey, chair of the Jazz on Jay selection committee. The exciting season opener this year will feature more than 30 Union College musicians and vocalists under the direction of music professor Tim Olsen.

“There’s nothing like hearing a full-sized band roar through a classic swing tune,” said Olsen, who has led the ensemble since 1994. “Better yet, there’s nothing like being in that band playing that tune.”

The 2026 season continues with a mix of returning favorites and band leaders making their Jazz on Jay debut, including Bohdan Kinal Quartet, Marcus Benoit, The Keith Pray Ortet, Kaitlyn Fay Quartet, Alex Slomka and Friends, and Shiri Zorn Band.

The season finale will feature Hot Club of Saratoga, the acclaimed gypsy swing ensemble and multiple Eddies Award winner Aug. 27. Bassist Dylan Perrillo said the performance marks a meaningful return to Schenectady.

“Performing in downtown Schenectady is always nostalgic for me,” Perrillo said. “A beautiful full-circle moment, as I’ll be with my most enduring ensemble in the city where I first learned to play the upright bass.”

All performances are free thanks to funding from the New York State Council on the Arts with support from the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, an Arts & Culture Grant from the Schenectady County Legislature, the Schenectady Foundation, and the Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation.

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2026 Jazz on Jay Schedule

  • June 4 — Union College Jazz Ensemble and the Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company
  • June 11 — Bohdan Kinal Quartet
  • June 18 — Marcus Benoit
  • June 25 — Ambrose, Hearn & Shoudy Trio with special guest Matt Steckler
  • July 2 — Shiri Zorn Band
  • July 9 — The Keith Pray Ortet
  • July 16 — Ragtime Windjammers
  • July 23 — The Nancy Donnelly Quartet
  • July 30 — COOL UNIVERSE
  • Aug. 6 — The Cribtet
  • Aug. 13 — Kaitlyn Fay Quartet
  • Aug. 20 — Alex Slomka and Friends
  • Aug. 27 — Hot Club of Saratoga