The Rochester International Jazz Festival is less than a month away from filling the streets of downtown Rochester and JazzRochester will be there for all 9 days! I have a ritual for the first night of the Rochester International Jazz Festival. I come down early and walk around the East End footprint taking in the final frenzy of preparation for the festival to jump off and then begin, for me, a marathon of incredible music, friends, street food, and probably way too much alcohol and cigars for any 9-day stretch of life. Yes, my first night ritual includes the latter items…
At the RIJF you are often confronted with so many choices, pulling you in different directions musically. Some may be imposed on you by timing, some by a line that suggests you may not get in, some by sheer accident after hearing raves about an artist you didn’t even have on your radar. But, you have to make a choice. So, you do you, but if you’re interested here are the artists/groups I am aiming to hear on the first night of the 2026 RIJF. The headings are links to their RIJF page so you can check them out yourself. It is possible to go hear the full sets on these picks (depending on how fast you walk, in some cases). I’ve added links to a few more who I wish I could fit in.
Celebrating John Coltrane with Joe Lovano + Special Guests
This year is the 100th anniversary of saxophonist John Coltrane’s birth. Joe Lovano and a one-time gathering of all-star musicians will be showing their “love supreme” for the jazz legend and, count them, four of the best saxmen in jazz will be stepping into Coltrane’s giant shoes to take a step and pay tribute to this legendary artist who influenced generations of jazz musicians. The band will include: Joe Lovano, George Garzone, Jerry Bergonzi, Tommy Smith, Leo Genovese, Peter Slavov, and Otis Brown III. This should be a special concert. This is one of the new series of jazz being presented to Club Pass holders in Kodak Hall. You’ll be seeing a lot from that series in the posts to come (and immediately below).
Venue: Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre (Club Pass)
Time: 9:30 pm
Danilo Pérez Trio
Grammy-winning Danilo Pérez is an incomparable pianist and composer, whether collaborating with Wayne Shorter (he and trio bassist John Patitucci spent more than 20 years playing in Shorter’s Quartet) or infusing a deep foundation in jazz tradition with a blend made up of his Panamanian roots, Latin and African rhythms and European impressionism. With drummer Adam Cruz, this trio is known for their deep and symbiotic connection while playing.
Venue: Venue: Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre (Club Pass)
Time(s): 7:00 pm
The Rodriguez Brothers Celebrate Miles Davis’ 100th
This year is another big milestone in jazz: Miles Davis would have turned 100 May 26th. Brothers Robert and Michael Rodriguez, on piano and trumpet respectively, will be celebrating the music of the “Prince of Darkness” by reimagining it through their Afro-Cuban and modern jazz lenses.
Venue: June 19th: Max at Eastman Place (also June 20th: Montage Music Hall) (Club Pass)
Time(s): June 19th: 6:15 & 10:00 pm (June 20th: 6:00 & 10:00 pm)
You Might Also Consider …
This first night presented me with a lot of choices and the timings just didn’t work to fit anyone else in. I won’t be hearing these artists, but that doesn’t mean you can’t:
- Catherine Russell
- Jamile’s Brazilian Jazz Quartet
- Brandon Woody’s Upendo (Producer Pick)
These are all Club Pass events. Just follow the links to find out venue and location.
However you map out your night of music, try to give yourself room to change course if something unexpected grabs your ears. As RIJF Music Producer John Nugent says, “it’s not who you know, it’s who you don’t know….” Tell me who you’re planning on seeing in the Comments below (for those of you who get the email, you’ll have to come to the site first). I’ll be back with more picks after the regular listings post on Wednesday.
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