While I’ve already posted about my picks this year, I’ll be hearing a lot more during the next nine days of the 2017 Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival. It is theoretically possible for me to hear them all. However, once the festival begins there are many things that may end up causing me to change my choices. I try to be fluid, taking in what my “jazz fest friends” and others are raving about or just deciding that I’m in the mood for something other than my earlier choice. I encourage you to do the same. Test your ears! Listen to the “street”! This is what XRIJF is about. The oft-repeated XRIJF motto of “it’s not who you know, it’s who you don’t know” is really one to live by during the festival. My choices are a mix of both. But I can’t say how many times that I’ve changed my mind due to lines or other issues and found a new band that I add to my list of “favorites” of the festival. That’s how some of the folks on the following “itinerary” ended up on my list.

Links in the choices below are to those artists for whom I’ve written separate “Pick” posts. Remember that these artists often play two separate sets and sometimes are appearing on more than one day.

Friday, June 23rd

• Gwilym Simcock @ Christ Church (6:45-7:45 pm)
• Moscow Jazz Orchestra @ Xerox Auditorium at Xerox Center (9:00-10:00 pm)
• Huntertones @ Montage Music Hall (10:00-11:00 pm)

Saturday, June 24th

• Billy Childs Quartet @ Kilbourn Hall (6:00- 7:00pm)
• Neil Cowley Trio @ Christ Church (8:45-9:45 pm)
• Igor Butman Quartet @ Max at Eastman Place (10:00-11:00 pm)

Sunday, June 25th

• Bill Frisell & Thomas Morgan @ Kilbourn Hall (6:00-7:00 pm)
• Jochen Rueckert Quartet @ Lutheran Church of the Reformation (7:30-8:30 pm)
• Holophonor @ Wilder Room (10:00-11:00 pm)

Monday, June 26th

• Miguel Zenon "Tipico" @ Kilbourn Hall (6:00-7:00 pm)
• Ikonostasis @ Lutheran Church of the Reformation (7:30-8:30 pm)
• Jae Sinnett’s Zero To 60 Quartet @ Montage Music Hall or Marquis Hill Blacktet @ Max at Eastman Place (10:00-11:00 pm)

Tuesday, June 27th

• Kendrick Scott Oracle @ Xerox Auditorium at Xerox Center (6:30-7:30 pm)
• Charlie Hunter Trio @ Anthology (7:45-8:45 pm)
• Ole Mathisen Floating Points @ Lutheran Church of the Reformation (9:30-10:30 pm)

Wednesday, June 28th

• Marcia Ball @ Harry East Ballroom (5:30-6:30 pm)
• Shauli Einav Quartet @ Max at Eastman Place (6:15-7:15 pm)
• Klabbesbank @ Lutheran Church of the Reformation (7:30-8:30 pm)
• Charles Pillow Large Ensemble Feat. Tim Hagans & Clay Jenkins: ”Electric Miles” @ Xerox Auditorium at Xerox Center (9:00-10:00 pm)

Thursday, June 29th

• Walt Weiskopf Quartet @ Xerox Auditorium at Xerox Center (6:30-7:30 pm)
• Phronesis @ Christ Church (8:45-9:45 pm)
• The Wee Trio @ Wilder Room (10:00-11:00 pm)

Friday, June 30th

• 4 By Monk By 4 - Kenny Barron, Benny Green, George Cables, Cyrus Chestnut @ Kilbourn Hall (6:00-7:00 pm)
• Binker & Moses @ Christ Church (8:45-9:45 pm)
• Ronnie Foster Organ Trio @ Max at Eastman Place (10:00-11:00 pm)

Saturday, July 1st

• Donny McCaslin Group @ Xerox Auditorium at Xerox Center (6:30-7:30 pm)
• Gard Nilssen's Acoustic Unity @ Lutheran Church of the Reformation (7:30-8:30 pm)
• Tessa Souter @ Christ Church (8:45-9:45 pm)

One thing I have noticed this year is that I will have more time to just wander around, listen to free music, eat and drink than in past years. I won’t always be running from one venue to another. This will make discovery easier … I like that.