Although there is no way I'm going to get to all of these, here are my picks for Day 2, June 21st, of the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival:
- Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet: Jason Marsalis is a member of the great Marsalis clan with vibes… what more do you need? Here's a live cut at Dizzy's in NYC oYoutube.
- Flat Earth Society: On their website, the FES notes that "To attempt to describe the music of Flat Earth Society is an impossible (and pointless) task." I may be different than the average jazz Joe, but I like that. You can hear some Zappa in these guys (they even say so…). It should be a fun mixture of jazz, rock and humor. Here's a video (and there are some cuts available on their site.
- John Escreet: Hopefully pianist Escreet bring his current CD's group of Evan Parker, John Hébert and Tyshawn Sorey on his date here. Looks like Escreet is going to be doing a duo date with Tyshawn Sorey, based on his website, but with those two, it should be great. Here's a video from the new group (although not the duo…).
- Snarky Puppy: This 2014 Grammy winner group is a large ensemble with a mix of jazz, funk and world music. Snarky Puppy should be a great show and one that XRIJF producer says is a must hear.
- Sunna Gunnlaugs Trio: Sunna and I met on Twitter way back and it was great to finally hear her in person last year. Sunna Gunnlag's trio will fill the Lutheran Church space with beautiful sound.
As always, these picks reflect my own, somewhat weird, choices. There are so many choices each night, so make your own decisions.
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