Innovative Technologies Allow Jazz Festival Patrons to Improvise

By Karl Dueland

Great jazz players know how to adapt and change. Sometimes experimental and improvisational, always creative and collaborative, jazz paves the way for new musical styles and experiences. That’s how Xerox innovates in the business world. We apply our originality to create new solutions that solve businesses’ biggest challenges.

Riffing on the Jazz Festival

We’ve traditionally operated behind the scenes of the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, doing things like printing festival passes with fraud-resistant imaging to prevent counterfeiting. This year, our technology is still being used to print festival passes, but we’re also trying new things.

After being the title sponsor of the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival (XRIJF) for almost a decade, we’ve built long-standing relationships with the festival promoters. We see the challenges and opportunities they are dealing with, and we figure out ways to help them.

For the 2017 festival, which runs June 23-July 1, Xerox will use some of its digital manufacturing technologies to bring new experiences to the jazz festival attendees.

Digital Manufacturing

Digital manufacturing expands opportunities for Xerox using our existing and new print technologies to print beyond paper.   We are using print to manufacture functional electronics and to print directly onto three-dimensional objects.  At this year’s jazz festival, we will showcase two digital manufacturing technologies: Xerox Printed Memory and the Xerox Direct to Object Printer.

Xerox Printed Memory: To reward patrons who purchase three-day or nine-day festival passes, each pass holder will receive a recognition card embedded with Xerox Printed Memory – an electronic label that can collect and store information. The memory is pre-programmed with three prize levels.    Pass holders can bring their card to the merchandise tent, located on Jazz Street, where the card will be read to determine what prize they have won. Once the card is read, the memory will be overwritten making the card invalid for further use. Printed memory is ideal for this application because it is read/write, very secure, and can be used offline.

Xerox Direct to Object Printer: Visitors to the merchandise tent will also be able to purchase items personalized with the Xerox Direct to Object Printer. Using digital printing technology, the Direct to Object Printer can print directly onto 3D objects in a matter of minutes. Festival patrons will be able to choose from a sleeve of golf balls, a travel wine tumbler, a water bottle or a notebook. Using our intuitive XMPie interface, they can personalize these with a choice of jazz festival-themed images and their name for a unique keepsake.

That’s Our Jam

Xerox people will volunteer in the merchandise tent and festival pass booth, interacting with patrons and ensuring things run smoothly. We’re excited to showcase our employees and our technologies at the Rochester International Jazz Festival. As Xerox chief technology officer Steve Hoover says, “We know how to take risks, adapt to change and move technology forward in ways that are delivered with technical precision but infused with creativity – just like jazz musicians. We’re looking forward to sharing our innovations with patrons at this year’s festival.”