JazzRochester at the RIJF: My picks for June 23, 2025
June 08, 2025
I'm putting together another eclectic stew of music for Monday, June 23rd, which is usually my aim at the Rochester International Jazz Festival. At the RIJF you are confronted with so many options—by timing, by lines, or by sheer accident after hearing raves on the street about an artist you didn't even have on your radar. But, you have to make the choice. So, you do you, but if you're interested, here are the artists/groups I am aiming to hear on the fourth 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. to check out and help you make your own decisions):
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Tadley Ewing Peake “Tadd” Dameron was a composer, arranger, and pianist in the 1940s and 1950s known for his compositions and arrangements that spanned both the swing and bebop eras and combined broad and luscious arrangements of the big band with the harmonic language of bop. My first stop on Monday will be for Dameronia's Legacy All-Stars, a group formed to celebrate the music of Tadd Dameron, which was founded by Dameron's friend drummer "Philly" Joe Jones in 1980s. This octet will be burning up the Kilbourn Hall stage (figuratively, not literally....) at 6:00 and 9:00 pm
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I really enjoyed Spin Cycle when I heard them at the Bop Shop in October 2017 and looking forward to the set by this excellent group of NY players, including co-leaders drummer and composer Tom Christensen and multi-reedman Scott Neumann joined by the huge guitar chops of Pete McCann and bassist Phil Palombi. This band's music ranges all over shuffle of a NOLA second-line through to more angular "out" sounds. Just how I like it. And I'll get an opportunity to hear a smaller group in a newish venue at the RIJF, which didn't happen in its inaugural year. Spin Cycle will be playing The Duke at 7:30 and 9:45 pm.
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To get something in an international vein into my evening (it is the Rochester International Jazz Festival, after all ....) I am finishing up my evening with Cuban pianist Chuchito Valdés and Brazilian guitarist Diego Figueiredo. These two are monster artists on their respective instruments and it appears from the notes to their RIJF appearance we'll be getting them separately AND together at the end, which is intriguing (at least to me...). Chuchito Valdés comes from Cuban musical royalty, including father Chucho and grandfather Bebo, and his music draws from many styles and rhythms of that island and beyond. He was last at the RIJF in 2010. Diego Figueiredo was a child prodigy who has been a rising star in Brazilian music and jazz, although probably has graduated beyond that now. He last appeared at the RIJF with Ken Peplowski in 2023. Chuchito Valdés and Diego Figueiredo will be hitting the stage at the Temple Theater at 7:00 and 9:15 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:
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Guitarist Mike Stern can play anything and across genres of jazz and rock and when he appeared last at RIJF in 2014 with a group that included Bill Evans (also at RIJF this year) and Tommy Smith, he was one of my picks. Stern has 18 recordings as a leader and played with Miles Davis, Billy Cobham, the Brecker Brothers, Jaco Pastorius, Steps Ahead, David Sanborn, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Joe Henderson and the all-star Four Generations of Miles band. The Mike Stern Group was also at the festival in 2004 and 2012 and will be playing at the Theater at Innovation Square at 6:30 and 8:30 pm.
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Another good choice would be the David Hazeltine Quartet. Pianist Hazeltine is a master on his instrument and has worked with worked with many jazz luminaries including James Moody, Eddie Harris, Jon Faddis, Joe Henderson, Pepper Adams, Jon Hendricks, and Marlena Shaw. He was last at the RIJF with the Quartet in 2023 and appeared in 2018 with his group One For All, which included saxman Eric Alexander. The David Hazeltine Quartet will be at the Montage Music Hall at 6:00 and 9:30 pm.
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And as I noted in the post for June 22nd, Claudia Acuña will be gracing the stage again at Max's at Eastman Place at 6:15 and 10:00 pm.