This is nine days, baby... we're just getting started. I have to pace myself and after the wild first weekend, I often find myself taking a breather on Monday.  While there is lots to choose from, due to repeats (both between festivals and during this festival) there are only two Club Pass gigs I'm planning on getting to, although between the two, I'm sure I'll find something to do. Here's how my Monday, June 15th during the Rochester International Jazz Festival is coming together:

• Starting out at 6:00 pm (well, I may catch something beforehand if I get down to Jazz Street early) with NEA Jazz Master and percussionist Chico Hamilton with his group Euphoria in Kilbourn Hall.  This octogenarian continues to innovate and deliver diverse music since his Cool Jazz days in the 50s.  He can still cook the skins as shown in this clip from a couple of years ago. Get some more on the man at Hamilton's MySpace page and through his responses to a Take Five "interview" on AllAboutJazz.com.
• At 10:00 pm, I'm going to try to check out Andrei Razin  & Second Approach over at the Montage. This Russian pianist and his trio is, according to John Nugent and others, one of the acts not to miss at this year's festival. Check out the mp3s available on their site here and the rest of the site for more.
• In between the 6:00 and 10:00 pm shows I will probably wander around a bit. Although I've now seen him at least twice, I may drop in on the Cedar Walton Quartet (I don't think I've seen him in a Quartet here) at the Harro East, or the Greater Rochester Jazz Orchestra (which I've not yet had a chance to catch myself) on the Jazz Street Stage, both at 7:15 pm. Alternatively, I may drop in 8:30 to check out the Stephane Wrembel Django Experiment to hear some gypsy jazz in the Big Tent or the Bossa Nova sounds of Maria Farinha & Jongo Trio at Xerox Auditorium at 9:00 pm before heading over to Montage for my Russian lesson. 

I'm going to keep repeating that Jazz@Rochester is on Twitter and I have created a widget, which has its own page to help you follow the conversation about jazz and the XRIJF on that popular micro-blogging platform. For those who want to begin or join the conversation now, start using #XRIJF as a hash tag (if you're on Twitter, you'll know what I mean) and help me spread the word to use that tag during the festival. If you'd like to access Jazz@Rochester on your smart phone during the festival or througout the year, please try the new mobile site.

Previous Preview & Pick posts:

• Day One, June 12th Preview & Picks
• Day Two, June 13th Preview & Picks
• Day Three, June 14th Preview & Picks

Other links:

• City Newspaper's XRIJF Guide for June 15th