The Rochester International Jazz Festival begins this afternoon!  Nine days of music, seeing old friends and meeting new ones, and listening to an unparalleled smorgasbord of music.  During the festival, while I don't completely stop posting to this site, it slows down. I'm at the RIJF to hear music, not write about it.  I'll share information and updates about festival and festival artists on JazzRochester's social channels, so follow me on Twitter or Facebook, plus Instagram for images from the festival. You can get links join us on the social channels at the top of the panel to the right of this post. I'm attending all nine days, baby, but will be taking it easier (and may have to cut out earlier) than in the past due to a health issue I'm addressing.  A few other things to point out:

• Make sure you check out my recent post highlighting the Rochester area musicians who are appearing at the RIJF and get out there to support them if you can. 
• I know I still have a couple days to go in sharing my picks. They should be published over the weekend. 
• My regular weekly listings post, which appears at the top of the site, has live jazz around Rochester, but outside of the RIJF, through July.  I'll publish another on Wednesday next week, updating those listings. 
• Check out my other coverage and picks during the fest by visiting the RIJF 2023 Category link toward the bottom of the panel to the right.
• The folks at the RIJF provide me with media/photo credentials, but if you're sitting behind/near me at Club Pass venue and you see me taking out my phone to take a picture after the music starts, I want you to know that my practice is to get the shot as quickly as possible during the first number in the set and then put it away. Although I want to preserve the images for later, I'm there to hear the music, not "report" or to get in the way of your experience of it. 
• If you're interested in getting a JazzRochester t-shirt to sport during RIJF, you can order it here (or the link at the top of the site) or hit me up if you see me at the festival and I'll connect you to the order page (they are $15).  Become a part of the "street team" and tell others where you find out about live jazz in Rochester the other 356 days of the year.

Have fun, stay dry and hydrated, and I hope to see you on Jazz Street!