On the penultimate night of the Rochester International Jazz Festival I will likely duck into the cool environs of the Club Pass and avoid the crowds in the streets outside for the free shows. On the last two nights of the festival, the artists may sometimes be lesser known, but as RIJF Music Producer John Nugent has said once or twice (as have I): "it's not who you know; it's who you don't know." So, you do you, but if you're interested, here are the artists/groups I am aiming to hear on the eighth night of the 2025 RIJF (I've included links so you can check their page on the RIJF site yourself, where you will find links to music, video, etc.):

• Although the star of this evening is the late Oscar Peterson, the members of the Oscar Peterson Centennial Quartet (or OPCQ) are not as well known at least here in the U.S.. I've always loved Oscar Peterson's music and heard him with his Quartet at the 2004 RIJF (a year before I started the JazzRochester site) and, I believe, once or twice at the Chicago Jazz Festival years ago when I was a denizen there. The OPCQ is a group of renowned fellow Canadians, JUNO Award winners Robi Botos (piano), Mike Downes (bass) and Jim Doxas (drums), along with a former member of Peterson's quartet, Ulf Wasenius (guitar). The group was formed to celebrate the centennial of Oscar Peterson’s birth and set out his life and music in a unique live concert featuring music from Peterson’s long career in jazz, multimedia presentations, and conversation (including memories from his youngest daughter Céline Peterson). Great jazz AND a lesson in jazz history sounded interesting. The Oscar Peterson Centennial Quartet will be on stage at Kilbourn Hall at 6:00 and 9:00 pm.

• Another venue, another piano-led quartet, but sometimes it just happens that way, so I'll be heading over to hear the Sean Mason Quartet. Sean Mason is a rising star in modern jazz. After picking up the piano and learning by ear, he cut his teeth in church and teaching himself gospel, hip‑hop, and R&B, Mason discovered jazz. Southern Suite, Mason's first album as a leader combines motifs recalling early‑jazz, gospel hymns, blues, and classical—mixed with some modern NYC jazz style, and Broadway pizzazz—to explore Mason's musical roots. The Sean Mason Quartet, described as “highly melodic and infectious,” will be hitting the stage at The Inn on Broadway at 5:30 and 7:45 pm.

• I'll close out the penultimate night of the RIJF with yet a third quartet, Yvonnick Prené "A Harmonica for Django", although the fact there are four musicians is where the comparison ends. This group, led by Prené on a chromatic harmonica, with two guitarists and a bass (apparently his NYC band Padam Swing), exploring the jazz manouche of Django Reinhardt. A bandleader, composer, and educator based in New York City. Known for his innovative artistry, Prené has released five albums as a leader and has collaborated with other artists like Peter Bernstein, Rick Margitza, Bill Stewart, and Geoffrey Keezer. Producer Pick Yvonnick Prené "A Harmonica for Django" will be turning the cool environ's of the Montage Music Hall into a dark French bistro (minus the smoke) at 6:00 and 9:30 pm. If you can't make it Friday, they're also playing Saturday at Max's at Eastman Place at 6:15 and 10:00 pm.

While I've made my choices, there are often artists who I wish I could hear as well but can't due to timing or other reasons, or perhaps others who might be a better fit for you. For one reason or another you may want some alternatives, so here they are:

• Nicole Zuraitis is a 2x Grammy winner (4x nominated) vocalist, pianist, arranger and bandleader. Zuraitis has released five albums as leader, and her sixth album, How Love Begins, co-produced with Christian McBride, won Best Jazz Vocal Album last year, making Zuriatis the only person ever to have won this award who wrote and arranged the entire album herself. She's the real deal, so why not a "Pick" above? I tend to limit my vocalist intake ar RIJF, but like I say at the outset, "you do you" and who knows, I may call an audible and go hear her anyway? She is so much more than a vocalist and will likely bring a killer band with her. This appears to be her first time at the RIJF. Nicole Zuraitis will be singing and playing at the Temple Theater at 7:00 and 9:15 pm.

• I want to add clarinetist Doreen Ketchens New Orleans Jazz to this pick post as I will likely be going to hear her play at Kilbourn Hall the next night. But there is a dilemma posed here as she is known for the infectious music of the New Orleans jazz and do I really want to hear that music in the staid confines of Kilbourn ... not much chance of a second line forming. More on her in the post for the last day of the RIJF, but you can catch Producer Pick Doreen Ketchens New Orleans Jazz   in the Rochester Regional Health Big Tent at 8:30 pm.