As I've noted before, I don't want to let feeding content to this blog make it impossible for me to experience the music or spend time with friends, which are the qualities that make the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival such a wonderful experience for me. This isn't my job. This year I am feeling it more than before, so I'm stepping back, writing less, and using Twitter and other new ways to communicate as I experience the XRIJF this year. To that end, I'm going to try something new here.  Here are some of my "tweets" off the @jazzrochester Twitter stream for Day Two with a few notes on my day at the RIJF:

Geez, it's 5:08 & the line is already pretty long 4 6 pm Terrell Stafford Qt @ Montage. Glad I checked. #XRIJF

Have 2 remind myself how young these guys in Terrell Stafford's Qt are...they look just out of Stridex! Don't play that way, tho. #XRIJF

• On the weekends, the first show at the clubs like Montage are increasingly likely to have a line form early. This one was well on the way to snaking around the corner onto Chestnut when I poked my head around to look almost an hour before Stafford took the stage.
• Although the Stridex comment was probably a bit stupid for a number of reasons, members of Terrell Stafford's Quartet were mostly still studying in college. His drummer, whose solos just cooked, graduates from high school on Tuesday! 
• Although young, Stafford's quartet was tight and played a great set. While Stafford's playing on trumpet and flugelhorn was outstanding, he would often step back to let his companions shine through.

Made it ovr 2 Lutheran Church 4 Nordic Connect. Just getting started w/ set in ths beautiful setting w/ some lush sounds. #XRIJF

• The Reformation Lutheran Church was a great place to hear this music. By the time I got there there was next to no seating. While some friends slid over to give me a seat, I felt I was cramping them and realized I'd probably drive them crazy with pulling my phone out to tweet or check on other things while listening (see what I mean how it's starting to get in the way...?), so I moved back to the back and leaned against the wall.
• Nordic Connect, fronted by sisters Ingrid and Christine Jensen was perfect for that space. I had heard the wonderful solos that Ingrid had played when here with the Maria Schneider Orchestra and her trumpet and flugelhorn playing was again superb. Her sister's interplay on sax at times seemed to weave in and out of each other so you couldn't tell who was playing. While it wasn't for everyone, I enjoyed it and it was just what I needed right then.

Popped in 2 C a bit of SMV ... Walls of the Eastman Theater will B rumblin soon. Miller, Wooten, & Clarke (on bass clarinet @ 1st) #XRIJF

Ok, I'm sitting too far back & Mr. Clarke is bigger than I remembered. It was Marcus Miller on bass clarinet. Stanley is on standup #XRIJF

• This is one of those instances where the immediacy of Twitter makes for a egg-stained face.  I just came in and sat in back to hear some of the SMV set with bass gods Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, and Stanley Clarke.  I remember Clarke from his earlier days as pretty slim and don't know much about Marcus Miller (have an album). I just assumed that Stanley was in the middle (as he is sort of the "leader" of this supergroup), but couldn't really see well enough.  Of course, then the guy I was tweeting was Clarke, introduced Stanley Clarke. Oh well.  Insert foot ... in mouth.
• I only caught a bit of this set, but Miller and Wooten trading fours was probably sending the bass heads in the audience into something close to ecstacy.  

It's 10pm, & Jon Cleary just took the stage & is kickin out the N'awlins jams in high gear. Dancin in the aisles is not far behind. #XRIJF

• After running over to the ticket shop to get a ticket for my wife for one of the Taj Mahal/Susan Tedeschi show that was about to sell out, I came over to the Big Tent and just sat down for awhile until some friends showed up to catch the 10:00 pm of Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentleman. 
• Cleary is a student of New Orleans music and his set was like a history lesson taught by him, Professor Longhair and other NOLA musical legends.  He had people on their feet dancing within minutes. He is a madman on the piano, singing with a lot of soul and apparently moving so much while he plays that they duct taped his piano lid to keep it from falling while he played.  He plays again tonight.

I did other tweets yesterday, mostly "retweets" of information and links or replies to other posters. Twitter is clearly not for everyone, but there is a growing community of jazz musicians, jazz venues, and other lovers of jazz on this microblogging service and it is a great way to quickly get information out, share the experience of an event with others (potentially thousands), and even to meet some of those people in person which is why it is called "social media."  Check out the TweetFest widget here to check out or follow the conversation.  The folks at XRIJF are also on Twitter.