My second night at the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival will be taking a few more risks. But, as I said in my post about the first night of RIJF, that's often what I'm looking (or "hearing?) for, especially since there are fewer "bucket list" performances to catch.  I love hearing new things and taking my ears in directions where they may not have gone before. Of course, you should do you. However, if you're interested, here are the artists/groups I am aiming to hear on the second night of the 2024 RIJF:

• Many years ago, while I was in high school, and for a couple of summers during college. I worked at what was then called the San Diego Wild Animal Park (my family lived nearby in Escondido, CA). During those summers there was a steel drum band, with some great musicians, that would play at various locations around the park. I could hear them as I worked and remember those steel pans (they had at least 6, plus various djembes and other drums) and it became part of the background of those summers, upon which I still think back and smile. But enough history... that is what tweaked my interest in the Jonathan Scales Fourchestra as I was curious bringing that very unique sound of the steel pans (or drums) into jazz, along with some rock, funk and hip hop influences. Not your grandfather's "sounds of Trinidad."  I couldn't fit them in when they were at RIJF in 2022. The Jonathan Scales Fourchestra will be in the Wilder Room at 6:00 and 10:00 pm.
• Anyone that watches my Instagram feed of images from live jazz performances during the year knows that I like to stretch my ears to hear some sounds that are more "out", often doing it at concerts presented by Bop Shop Records. The aRT Trio--Pheeroan akLaff, Scott Robinson and Dr. Julian Thayer--are likely to bring my ears some exercise. Based on descriptions and my look on the interwebs, my exercise may also include the eyes as the aRT Trio incorporates a multimedia experience into its music. The arT Trio will be playing at the Global Jazz Now venue in Christ Church at 7:30 and 9:30 pm. This won't be for everyone, but it definitely is worth checking out, especially in the grandeur and resonance of this venue ... if you dare. The link on the RIJF's website is for EastAxis, who are playing on Sunday at the church (and include Scott Robinson) ... more about them in a later post perhaps?
• To get a bit of grounding back in the "soul" of jazz, I'm finishing off the night with The Groover Quartet. Keyboardist Michael LeDonne, saxophonist Eric Alexander, guitarist Peter Bernstein and drummer Joe Farnsworth have all been to RIJF before on their own as leaders and in various groupings (and I've heard most of them...). This powerhouse quartet will bring a deep, smoky groove for the late night for me after stretching my ears in several directions. The Groover Quartet will be in the Temple Theatre at 7:15 and 9:15 pm (and on Sunday, June 23rd in the Innovation Theater at 6:30 and 8:30 pm). Only question is whether there will be a vintage Hammond B-3 and Leslie Box to get that sound....

I'm going to miss a few I'd love to hear and, given my eclectic choices above, you may want to choose:

• Gwilym Simcock & Tommy Smith are going to be great, but I've heard both of them before (Tommy is at RIJF many years; Gwilym has been twice). They are both fantastic on their own, it should be a powerful concert together. Simcock and Smith will be gracing the stage of Kilbourn Hall at 6:00 and 9:00 pm.
• As I already had a organ quartet on my dance card, I'm going to have to miss the Nick Hempton Organ Quartet, but if you're looking for more of that sound you can check them out at 6:00 and 10:00 pm in Montage Music Hall.
• For those who want some of that western swing of Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, with one ore more twists, you may want to check out the "fearless smashing-together of genres" Producer Pick The Brain Cloud, who will be hitting the stage at The Little Theatre's Theatre One at 7:00 and 9:15 pm (and on Sunday, June 23rd in the Montage Music Hall at 6:00 and 10:00 pm).

I've included links to the RIJF page for each artist where you can check out the links to their websites and to their music on Spotify. I'm currently building a Spotify playlist of a track from a recent albums I could find by all my picks (and others listed), if you want to check it out.