I set a trap for myself, and fell in. I made an early prediction about the best show of the festival when we were only halfway through it. And another show on Day 6 rose to the occasion, which will be added to my personal ‘best of RIJF 2026.’ That…
Posts published in “Music”
Hiromi was restrained on Tuesday night. Those who saw her late concert, and who were seeing her for the first time, might think that’s a preposterous thing to write. One person, after the concert, called it “caffeinated jazz.” Compared to most performers, she was dynamic and energetic, scaling the keyboard…
I started Monday night with a rough plan to hit three artists: the probing pianist Paul Cornish in Hatch, the grooving guitarist Dave Stryker at the Theater at Innovation Square, and then the outstanding NYC All Stars in Temple Theater. I hit all three, plus three more: the Headhunters in…
It’s a common Rochester International Jazz Festival problem: thinking each night will be remembered as the highlight of the festival, only to have yet another night of highlights. I previously reported that Saturday night could be the standout night, only to have another stellar night of music last night, Sunday…
Saturday was an unexpectedly strong night of shows and might end up as one of the most memorable ones of the festival for me for the high quality of music I heard. Some were older masters, others were the next generation of greats, but all were class acts. I’ll review…