We romped out of the apartment headed for Geva to hear Acoustic Alchemy. As we paused at Division St (you would have to be local to even know its there) a Jazz Shuttle appeared. The driver saw our Club Passes and opened the door to us, commenting that he wasn’t supposed to pick people up away from an assigned stop. This was the start of a day of everything going right. We got seats in the 4th row center for the group and they pinned us there with their great sound and joy. It was a shame it was first set and they had to limit themselves to the hour set time. If they appear in a venue we can get to ,we would go a bit out of our way to hear them in an extended performance. Read the City Music Blog here.

We cleared out of Geva and headed up Clinton toward Temple Building. This meant passing right by Parcel 5 which was hosting Cha Wa a group that we had no interest in hearing but couldn’t avoid in passing. We got into the Temple and settled in for some good times with Joey Defranceso Trio. Joey was front and center on his Hammond B3 Organ with an electric keyboard poised on top. The opening sounded like a group warming up/tuning up just noodling each in his own world until they brought it all together on a tight number. While we were there Joey played both keyboards, saxophone and trumpet! about 45 minutes in we beat feet to get some dinner and place in line to hear Kansas Smitty’s House Band in Kilborn Hall.

After the introduction the “back line” piano, bass, guitar and drums came out and played an opening number then out came the horns to add to the joyful noise.  They are listed as part of the Made in the UK series and come from London. They actually own their own club there appropriately named Kansas Smitty’s. You can read Jeff Spevak’s review in the linked blog for more information. We really enjoyed the show and stayed in our seats until it was clear they were not coming back out. 

We crossed the street to Max for Andrea Bachfeld & Insight. The crowds were dwindling and we were able to get seats almost immediately. However Carol and I had a disagreement about whether to stay or move to Montage for Sisters Euclid. I got obstinate because this was the first lead flute we were  hearing and Sisters Euclid was more sax, guitar etc we had been hearing all week. We stayed, but left about 45 minutes into the set to see what was happening at the Jam. When we got to the Jam the area was jammed and the noise level was so high I couldn’t hear the horn on stage. After a few minutes we decided to call it a Festival and go home to bed.

Today’s plan is NOTHING! Well, Carol is doing Reachout Radio at WXXI this morning. 

Review and thoughts. In past years I have kept a nightly tally of Club Pass venues attended to justify the $360 we spent on them. I didn’t think to do that this year, but I just went back and counted and It appears we went in to 32 venues. This is less than $6 per entrance to shows costing $30 ($35 at Kilbourn). Once again the Club Pass is a win for us. We were worried bout getting around given Carol’s ongoing recovery from the hip fracture. Although it was not always easy, we managed to get where we needed to be and get seating. The addition of Geva to the venues was a blessing and a curse. The curse being that it stretched the periphery of the Festival by at least a couple of blocks, the blessing was the addition of Wilson Hall with its 500 comfortable seats and great sight lines and acoustics. Also the comfortable lobby area with bar and restaurant was a great plus. For some the ability to cross the street and wait at Native Eats or sit in Washington Square Park without losing their place in line was an added benefit. 

There was another major change in moving the major free shows to Parcel 5 from Chestnut Street at East Avenue. For those of us not interested in losing our hearing to Trombone Shorty this was wonderful because it cleared out the area around the main venues and enabled us to move without fighting the thousands to get from one to the other. The disadvantage for some is that it spread the crowd out more and made it feel less jammed with tens of thousands. I am among those who missed Harro East as a venue. I would hope the managers and the Festival group could come to a happy agreement. I must admit that the Harro East management were the ugliest about refusing to let even a water bottle in so they could have the opportunity to sell more overpriced water. Some reported missing the Little Theater, unavailable because of a major renovation, but I am not so sure. It is a bit of a walk and in its former state it was little. 

Of the 32 venues plus free stages I attended or listened to in passing I would say I heard an amazing variety of music performed by wonderful professional musicians. I exempt the wonderful High School Bands heard on Jazz Street although some of the players surely will play professionally in the future. John Nugent is inclined to say “It isn’t who you know, it’s who you don’t know.” By opening ourselves up to groups we don’t know to styles we are unfamiliar with, Carol and I have enjoyed an ever growing variety of music we enjoy. From straight jazz standards to experimental performances utilizing high tech manipulation, from classical chamber and orchestral performances to the very occasional opera, we are open to all. the festival is a wonderful opportunity to expand our range. Not that we enjoy it all, but we listen for a while to learn what it is we like and don’t like. 

We plan on buying our Club Passes for next years CGI Rochester International Jazz Festival June 19  to 27 as soon as they are available. We have signed up to keep the apartment!