Rochester Jazz Festival lineup: 27 concerts not to miss over the 9 days

Each day of the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival provides a bounty of choices for music lovers. Here are some options. For a full lineup and venue and time information go to rochesterjazz.com. Also, these choices are focused on the club venues.

FRIDAY, JUNE 21

The California Guitar Trio

Each year I struggle with pulling together a mix of performers I don't know and those I do. This trio — not all from California, by the way — falls firmly into the latter category. The original members came together more than 30 years ago after meeting at a guitar "craft course" from the legendary King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp. (They later toured with King Crimson.) Like Fripp, their music is elaborate and intricate, yet accessible. The interplay is seamless and the choices range from classical to pop and rock favorites. They were here in 2022, almost 20 years after I first saw them at the festival, and I wrote this then: "Brilliant guitarists, the trio takes Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and somehow acoustically finds a simplicity with the song that does not lose any of its operatic complexity."

Stanley Jordan

Speaking of intricate guitarmanship, Jordan has been at the craft a long time as well. The California Guitar Trio are youngsters compared to Jordan, whose unique "touch tapping" playing style milks a singular resonance from the instrument that few others do. His style utilizes both hands on the fretboard and his festival show is dedicated to a guitarist nonpareil — Jimi Hendrix. This combination of Jordan's virtuosic flair and the musically challenging and occasionally psychedelic tunes of Hendrix assures a very special show.

Connie Han Trio

Okay, let's take a break from guitars. Connie Han is a virtuoso of her own. Han's piano skills are volcanic; the music can simmer and bubble, then erupt with a fiery intensity. Her bandmates lay down the foundation effortlessly, but it is Han whose energy ignites the performances. Downbeat magazine has dubbed her "The Jazz Warrior-Goddess," a fitting moniker for sure. She takes no prisoners. Also, she is back for a solo performance Saturday, June 22, at the acoustically divine Hatch Hall.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

The Brain Cloud

With a true Tin Pan Alley essence to the music, this group creates a sound that seems as if it should be pouring out from a crackling static-y Victrola radio from an earlier generation. The music is fun, bouncy and lively, but those joyful sounds are the creation of stellar musicianship. The exuberant vocals of Tamar Korn are the perfect fit for The Brain Cloud and its genre journeys that visit swing, bluegrass and blues. (The Brain Cloud returns Sunday, June 23.)

Janet Evra

The festival never disappoints with the female jazz vocalists it finds from around the world. Of course, there are those like Norah Jones and Samara Joy (she's back again this year) who become household names, but each year brings surprises who may be unknown to many. Janet Evra, a vocalist and bassist, will be sampling her new album, "Meet Me In Paris," and its French-themed tunes. I don't know much French, but it is the perfect language for jazz renditions and Evra is the perfect purveyor of the music.

aRT Trio

I'm going out on a bit of a limb here, unaware of much of this trio's music I admit, but intrigued by what I've heard and read. Caveat: I like sampling the out-of-the-ordinary during the festival. (The unconventional Nordic shows that, pre-Covid, were a part of each festival weren't everyone's cup of tea, but many of my most memorable festival moments were at those shows.) Julian Thayer, the trio's bassist, is a Fulbright Fellow who researches music and psycho-acoustics, a scientific look at how we and our brains digest and interpret music. Science aside (though I'm also intrigued about that), this trio's work has been called, in one publication, more "a conversation than a composition." I'm ready to listen regardless.

SUNDAY, JUNE 23

Kaisa's Machine

I mentioned earlier my appreciation for the Nordic musicians who graced the festival in the past. This year, Nordic double bassist Kaisa M?ensivu and her band will perform two nights, beginning Sunday. One publication refers to her music as "Nordic noir meets New York sparkle" and the description seems pinpoint on. The Nordic musicians, more than any in my humble opinion, merge existential themes with heavy doses of humor. The music of Kaisa's Machine may be more traditional in its jazz underpinnings than that of some of her homeland brethren, but you have to appreciate a band with a song titled "Eat Dessert First." (The band returns Monday, June 24.)

Edmar Casta?eda

As well as my taste for the Nordic sounds, I also try to catch any Latin-infused music that makes its way to the festival's club venues. There is a rich vibrant history to the music, and each note and chord sing that history aloud. The music of Colombian-born Edmar Casta?eda, while mining that same richness as well as other genres, is unique; he plays the harp. (If you want to hear something transcendent, listen to Casta?eda and Japanese pianist Hiromi on YouTube.) Casta?eda was a music consultant to the hit Disney film "Encanto" and also performed on the soundtrack. If you've marveled at what Jake Shimabukuro did with the ukulele at past festivals, be ready for a similar experience with Casta?eda and his harp.

Andrea Brachfeld and Insight

The festival is a chance to catch a variety of genres, but it's also a chance to sample a wide range of instrumentalists. Flutists aren't that common leading a band, so here's a chance to rectify that absence with your music-experimentation adventures. Andrea Brachfeld is that flutist, and she samples both American and Latin jazz. I'm hoping to hear some of the latter with her show. As her bio notes, Brachfeld's breakthrough came with the Latin band La Charanga 76. That band featured the spirited percussion common to the genre, with Brachfeld's flute adding a new enchanting layer.

MONDAY, JUNE 24

Jared Schonig "Two Takes"

Jared Schonig is a busy man. A drummer, he's a popular accompanist to many jazz vocalists. He also steers his own band while carving out time to be part of Broadway music ensembles. Currently he's the drummer for the Tony-winning "Moulin Rouge! The Musical." Oh, and he also likes to compose his own music while pulling together a coalition of exquisitely talented musicians to breathe life into his creations. "Two Takes" is his latest in those excursions. He also is an Eastman School of Music alum.

Dave Pietro Quartet

There is something intrinsically hip — pardon me for showing my age with that description — with the saxophone and those who can generate magic from the instrument. Dave Pietro qualifies as hip, or whatever the equivalent phrasing would now be. It's no wonder he's in demand; he has performed in 30 countries on five continents. The list of artists whom he has accompanied is vast and varied: Blood, Sweat and Tears; David Bowie; Ray Charles; Rosemary Clooney; and Harry Connick Jr., just among a few. He is also a member of the Grammy Award-winning Maria Schneider Orchestra. Schneider, of course, is another of the notable Eastman School of Music alums and her music a constant revelation.

Giveton Gelin Quartet

Giveton Gelin is now only 24 years old but he plays the trumpet with a maturity and respect for his forebears in the jazz arena. This inner wisdom may blossom from the fact that he started with the trumpet when he was only 10 years old, learning not with tutors but instead by emulating the music and sounds he heard. A native of the Bahamas, Gelin moved to the United States to study at the Oberlin Conservatory. He left there after a year to attend the acclaimed  Juilliard School, where he is now in his third year. Yes, he may still be a student, but he has clearly taken the lessons to heart. (The quartet returns Tuesday.)

Footnote: The Jae Sinett Trio, a recommendation for Tuesday, also performs Monday night.

TUESDAY, JUNE 25

Joe Dyson's "Look Within"

Imagine a musical gumbo packed to the brim with jazz, fusion, gospel and, for additional spiciness, some of that idiosyncratic Cajun flavoring. That’s what you get with drummer Joe Dyson’s “Look Within” project,  an amalgam of a spiritual journey and a musical pilgrimage. Dyson has laid down the percussion pace for some of the best – Jon Batiste, Dr. Lonnie Smith among them – and appeared in the hit HBO series, “Treme,” which showcased its own musical sojourn through a post-Katrina New Orleans.

Michael Mayo

The jazz festival has a knack for finding vocalists who are on the rise (a shout out again to Samara Joy) or who surely should be on the rise. Michael Mayo is special, his voice able to climb and dip and soar as if an instrument unto itself. The fact that he's carving out a music career is little surprise: His father was a saxophonist for Earth, Wind and Fire, and his mother a back-up vocalist for Diana Ross. It's no shock therefore that he's got R&B in his bones. But there is also a poetic introspection to his lyrics, a thoughtfulness that settles perfectly with his voice.

Jae Sennett Trio

Each year, I admit, I get a little irked when I hear the inevitable comment from someone that the festival doesn't feature jazz. Jazz is abundant at the clubs, along with a number of the free shows. I've highlighted multiple jazz shows for the week and I'll do another here, both for the quality of performer and as a reminder of the new venue, the Inn on Broadway. The ballroom at the Inn has the perfect intimate vibe for jazz. And the Jae Sennett Trio is equally perfect for the venue. A drummer, composer and bandleader, Sinnett has a lengthy career, dating back to the 1970s, venturing into multiple genres but always returning to jazz. There is a steadiness and ease to the music, measured yet finding the improvisational moments expected from jazz. "Summertime" is an oft-performed standard, and in the hands of the trio it segues from a sumptuous relaxation to an increasingly warmer pace, much like the heat of a summer day as the hours meander by.

Footnote: Bill Charlap, whose trio is a Wednesday recommendation, performs solo at Hatch on this Tuesday.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26

Paa Kow

Yesterday we gave a shout-out to one of the new venues, The Inn on Broadway, and today let's mention another, The Duke, located on the first floor of the Sibley Building downtown. The building has seen its struggles since the demise decades ago of its centerpiece retail store but now seems to be on an upward trajectory. Maybe The Duke will be another piece of that puzzle. And, whether you go one or three or even more nights to the venue, this is a night to definitely be there. Paa Kow (pronounced Pah-Ko) is a Ghana-born drummer and composer who — and I'll let the festival bio take over here — "plays a custom, hand-carved, traditionally inspired Ghanaian drum set that is the only one of its kind in the world, guaranteeing an extraordinary cultural and musical experience." As a youngster, he became known in his region as the "small-boy drummer." There is nothing small about the culture-infused liveliness of the Afro-fusion rhythms with his band and its music. Savor. (He is back Wednesday night.)

Bill Charlap Trio

I often read back through past festival coverage when preparing picks and my plans and, uniformly, jazz pianist Bill Charlap has been mentioned as a festival favorite by past arts and music reporters at the Democrat and Chronicle. Anna Reguero wrote of him in 2011 that he was "the best show I've seen all festival." The late Jack Garner (whose larger-than-life spirit I still feel when walking the festival streets) raved about Charlap in many articles and columns: The music was "tasty" in one reference, among the "most exciting and inventive" in another. And Jeff Spevak also highlighted the Charlap Trio shows as must-sees. If that isn't enough praise, consider this: Tony Bennett chose him as a pianist for what would be a Grammy-winning album.

Manuel Valera

I have a tendency to highlight pianists who perform two nights at the festival — a solo one night and with their ensemble another — by recommending the latter performance. Let me rectify that here. Valera, who incorporates that unique Cuban zest into his music (I could listen to the Buena Vista Social Club on endless replay) will be solo at Hatch on this night, before performing with his trio at The Inn on Broadway Thursday. For those who don't know, and those who may need a reminder, the acoustics at Hatch are exquisite. Valera is worth your time anywhere, but within the confines of Hatch the performance will be truly special.

Footnote: A Thursday recommendation, the Bermuda Search Party, also performs this Wednesday.

THURSDAY, JUNE 27

Bermuda Search Party

Sometimes a night out just needs music that is unequivocally fun, boisterous in rhythms, laden with funk. Extremely popular in its home turf of Boston, the Bermuda Search Party has brought joy to crowds at festivals across the country. The songs have pop flavors, emboldened by horns that lay down a solid groove. Their performances have been called "a celebration of life." They surely are a celebration, and they surely are full of life. If you are in need of your own celebration, let your search end here.

Hazmat Modine

I recently saw Danny Deutsch, owner of Rochester's wonderful Abilene Bar & Lounge, comment on a Facebook posting that "Hazmat Modine rocks!" Deutsch, whose Abilene is one of the best music venues in the region, has an opinion I always value. And, unsurprisingly, he is right on point with Hazmat Modine. The eight-piece band has toured internationally and its music, with its combination of brass and strings, seems to have an endless set of influences. There is some Eastern European jazz, some Latin flavors, and some Americana. Each year I mention a concern about whether bands will be able to match the breadth of the Rochester Regional Health Big Tent. It takes big personalities, instrumentally and vocally, to succeed there. Hazmat Modine provides both. They also return for Friday night shows.

Abe Rabade Quartet with Davide Salvado

The music of Abe Rabade, from Galicia, Spain, slowly envelopes you. The pianist's work sometimes is gentle, always is emotionally moving, and there is a sensation to it that reminds one of the harmony and grace of nature. This isn't happenstance; Rabade finds inspiration from the outdoors. His latest album is, as described, "a meditation on the life of Galicia’s native vegetation through 14 original compositions." Salvado's vocals, with a hypnotic quality, align with the music as if the two were simultaneously crafted by nature. He was featured on cellist Yo-Yo Ma's Grammy-winning album, "Sing Me Home."

Footnote: Twisted Pine, which will be a Friday recommendation, also performs this Thursday. The same is true of vocalist Laila Bialia.

FRIDAY, JUNE 28

Laila Biali

A Canadian singer-songwriter (the festival always finds the best of these) Biali has amassed recognition and honors, including a Juno, the Canadian Grammy, for vocal jazz album of the year. It's no surprise that her career, which has taken her from Radio City Music Hall to Beijing, has brought her such widespread appreciation: Her music is steadily uplifting and often playful, though that description might belie the heart and soul at its core. Check out her YouTube video for "Got To Love" and you too will join the abundant ranks of those who are grateful for Laila Biali.

Olatuja Project

At the second inauguration of President Barack Obama, Alicia Olatuja delivered a stunning solo as part of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir’s rendition of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Her vocals rose and her range seemed infinite, all a fitting musical moment for the historical start of the second term of the country's first Black president. That moment, perhaps, was a stepping stone to what is now obvious: Olatuja is special and her talents otherworldly. She can be ethereal and she can be earthy; she can deliver R&B and jazz-flavored tunes in a manner both grounded and spiritual. She has referred to her Inaugural moment as "validation for me as a performer." She likely did not need validation then; she surely does not need it now.

Twisted Pine

Last year was my introduction to Twisted Pine and that was enough to convince me to see them whenever they return. There is a bluegrass foundation to the music of the Boston band — the fiddling is primo— but from there it spirals ever outward, navigating universes of pop and funk. The mix is scintillating and the musicians stellar. The flute work of Anh Phung is key to the boundary-stretching approach of Twisted Pine. The flute isn't anathema to bluegrass, but it is uncommon. Twisted Pine will make you wonder why there isn't more of it.

Footnote: Luca Ciarla, who I will recommend for Saturday, also performs this Friday.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

Brubeck Brothers

I hope the Brubeck Brothers will continue to come to the festival and, as long as they do, I will continue to recommend them. This is genuine familial history: The two brothers at the heart of the quartet are the sons of jazz legend Dave Brubeck. But don't think this is a group that is of note solely because of that genealogy. They bring the goods with every performance, and aficionados of jazz at its purest would be hard-pressed to light upon a better show. These are versatile musicians keeping the wonder that is jazz alive. And, yes, while they can stand upon their own musical chops, their version of Dave Brubeck's iconic "Take Five" is always a must-hear, honoring its legacy while still unearthing new layers.

Luca Ciarla solOrkestra

This multi-piece orchestra — okay, just kidding, it's really just violinist Luca Ciarla. However, through the technology of looping, Ciarla constructs the perception of orchestral strings, adding depths of instrumentation and unique vocalizations. A native of Italy, he was playing both violin and piano by the age of 8. Somewhere along the musical journey, he discovered this adeptness of building instrumental stratum upon stratum, crafting full-bodied landscapes. And, if the music isn't enough, he also whistles, melodically.

Michael Mwenso and the Shakes

There is a certain gritty flavor to the Montage Music Hall, and I sincerely mean that as a positive, that makes it the perfect location for a spirited band on the festival's final night. I remember so many joyful closures to the festival with the 10 p.m. Montage show on the final Saturday. This has the clear makings of another. This band moves, musically and physically. As the festival says in its preview, Mwenso, who was born in West Africa, "was brought to New York City by famed jazz artist Wynton Marsalis to helm the late night at Dizzy’s Club and curate at Jazz at Lincoln Center." That tells you of the unmistakable talent, and Mwenso has pulled together a band that can enliven any crowd. But, if that makes this sound like a party band, then my apologies. The music pulls from African roots, and it is leavened with a spirit of hope reminiscent of the gospel that sprung from America's enslaved population. This is music to be enjoyed, but also to serve as a reminder of the power of music, the power of people and the continuing fight for a world of equity and justice.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester Jazz Fest lineup 2024: Concerts not to miss for each day