On the last night of the CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival, I'll be taking a different path, both music-wise and venue-wise.  While you may want to try something different, here's where I'll be on June 29th, the last night of the RIJF:

• Starting out with some straightahead for my first stop of the night and this is the group for that. Allstar leaders in their own right and young lions when this group formed, this "supergroup" One for All includes Jim Rotondi on trumpet, Eric Alexander on saxophone, David Hazeltine on piano, Steve Davis on trombone, John Webber on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums. These guys recall the sounds of the 1960s jazz sextets on Blue Note Records that Art Blakey pioneered. One for All will be playing at the Theater at Innovation Square at 6:30 and 8:30 pm. 
• My next stop will be "and now for something completely different" moment, like many I have at the RIJF, for Swedish trumpeter Oskar Stenmark Sextet-45 Riots.  The collective and record label 45 Riots serves NYC in performing and recording in many genres and has worked with Stenmark in bringing ancient traditional Swedish melodies to the light in new ways in his latest record (there's a track from that album on my playlist linked to below).  Oskar Stenmark Sextet will be playing in the Global Jazz Now series at the Christ Church at 7:30 and 9:30 pm.

This year I'm departing my usual approach of "sticking with the jazz" for a funkier end to the festival  You may believe or not, but I listen to a lot of different kinds of music and am not just a jazzhead. In fact, you might be surprised that my ringtone is The Meters' "Cissy Strut."   Because it is the 50 year anniversary of The Meters and two of the originals will be playing, I plan on joining the festival of funk that will be beginning at Parcel 5 for Rejuvenation 50! Celebrating The Meters With George Porter Jr., Leo Nocentelli, Ivan Neville & Dumpstaphunk, at the Wegmans Stage at Parcel 5 at 9:00 pm.  However, if there's rain or if my mind changes (or I'm not in the mood of hanging out with 1000s of my fellow Rochesterians), my enthusiasm may wane and I may avail myself of one of the alternatives below, which you may also choose to hit:

• If I decide to come back to the jazz fold (or just leave early), I'll likely end un Max's of Eastman Place, as I often do by spending my last show of the last night of RIJF, to hear the Jorge Luis Pacheco Trio. While born in Cuba, his music is a "confluence of Cuban jazz, Cuban and Afro-Cuban music, American jazz, and classical music with a measure of contemporary pop and soul," which sounds like a great way to end the RIJF if this is the place I end up.  Pacheco's trio will be playing at Max's at 6:15 and 10:00 pm.
• Sons of the great Dave Brubeck, the Chris and Dan Brubeck have been making music together since their childhood and have forged careers in jazz. While The Brubeck Brothers  hew to a straightahead approach to the music, like their father they explore different time signatures and integrating the music from their own times. Their reimagine of their father's tune "Take Five" on my playlist is an example of not just playing it "straight."  The Brubeck Brothers will be at Kilbourn Hall at 6:00 and 9:00 pm.
• Others have told me I should check out the Doxas Brothers, but alas it will likely have to wait for the next time (hopefully).  They will be appearing at the Inn on Broadway at 5:30 and 7:30 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 an RIJF 2024 Spotify playlist with a track from recent albums that I could find for all of the picks I've made my picks (and others listed). Go give it a listen!