For some reason, my second night at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival full of trios, although they will be quite diverse in their sounds. I have found in past years that some days will abound in trios as the preferred grouping at the XRIJF. But I intend to make up for it by checking out a larger ensemble (talking 3-4 times larger) and, possibly, even catching some something that clearly won’t be on anyone’s jazz listings to reduce my trio load.

The links below on the artists’ name in bold will take you to the artist’s page on the XRIJF site. Where available, I’ve mined a few additional sources and video of the artists from the Interwebs to help you decide whether you want to join me (figuratively, that is…) during my walkabout at the second evening of the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival on June 11th:

• Bill Charlap Trio @ Kilbourn Hall, 6:00 pm (also at 10): Bill Charlap trio with Peter Washington and Kenny Washington is one of the premier small groups in jazz and they are tight in only the way that a group that has been playing together for many years can be (which you can hear in this video from a 2007 Village Vanguard date). He is best known for his interpretations of American songs such as those of Gershwin.
• Arild Andersen Trio @ Nordic Jazz Now at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation, 7:30 pm: Although still a trio, the sounds that will fill the great sonic space of the Church will be very different not only due to the change in instrumentation (a saxophone for a piano), but also because bassist Arild Anderson, who started out in the 1970s with the Jan Gabarek Group, is more free in its explorations with his regular trio of Tommy Smith on sax and Paolo Vinaccia on drums. Here’s a couple of videos to give you a taste: At Duc des Lombards in 2008 and at Musica sulla Bocce in Italy last year.  
• Ensemble Denada @ Xerox Auditorium at Xerox Plaza, 9:00 pm (also at 6:30 and they’re playing in the Nordic Jazz Now series on June 10th): According to the Ensemble Denada‘s website, the idea behind this project of the East Norway Jazz Center is finding a small-band dynamic within a much larger ensemble which adds contrabass clarinet, quadraphonic electronics, 10 horn players to a piano quartet in its lineup and merges European tradition with jazz and native Norwegian material in its diverse blend. You can listen to some recordings on the group’s MySpace page and and tastes on video from a 2008 concert in Syria, at the Oslo Jazz Festival in 2009, and three more (here, here and here) from a concert in New Delhi last year (there is a fourth on the XRIJF’s site).
• Gary Versace Trio @ Viva Italia Series at the The Rochester Club, 10:00 pm (also at 6:00): Perhaps it is because of his instrument—the Hammond B3—or maybe it’s that I heard last year you can get some great food in the joint he’ll be playing, but I’ve seen Versace play with several other artists and it would be interesting to see him leading his own group.

I may, depending on my mood, lines and a host of other factors, try instead to catch Black 47 at the Abilene Roots & Americana Stage at 9:45, the NOLA jazz of Davell Crawford at Max of Eastman Place, or the specifically not gypsy jazz of Les Doigts de L’Homme @ Montage in the 10:00 pm slot.  

Additionally, as this blog exists to highlight the great jazz talent we have here and around Rochester, I’m also going to be highlighting the local and regional artists for each day. You can find some of their links on my Rochester Jazz Artists page):

• Smugtown Stompers @ Mary Jemison Boat on The Genesee River, 2:00 pm
• Rochester Area High School Jazz Bands @ City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage Presented by The Community Foundation, 4:30 and 5:15
• ECMS Jazz Combo led by Bob Sneider @ City of Rochester Jazz Street Stage Presented by The Community Foundation, 6:00 pm

Of course, you be catching some fake Beatles (or should I say “faux”?) or some Jersey boys sounds on Saturday night but, if not, let me know what sounds you’re planning on hearing in the comments. See you on Jazz Street….