Ron Netsky

XRIJF Music Director John Nugent’s slogan, “It’s not who you
know, it’s who you don’t know,” rings true for me. Every year at the festival, I
purposely seek out artists I don’t know and that usually means taking in acts
from the United Kingdom and Scandinavia. So it’s a good bet you’ll find this
atheist at either Christ Church (Made In The UK) or
the Lutheran Church (Nordic Jazz) every night.

But it’s not just the foreign acts. I’ve never seen the new
singing sensation Cecile McLorinSalvant,
formidable pianist Stephanie Trick, or percussionist Scott Feiner
& Pandeiro Jazz. But, based on their excellent
recordings and videos, I can’t wait to experience them live.

Of course I’m also looking forward to acts I do know, like
the wonderful singer Tessa Souter and the superb pianist Manuel Valera who have
both performed at previous festivals. I’ve heard drummer Louis Hayes on some of
my favorite records by Cannonball Adderley and John Coltrane, but I’ve never
heard him live.

And I’m looking forward to the great XRIJF spirit. For nine
days every June downtown Rochester is transformed into the vibrant epicenter of
jazz.

I’ll start the festival Friday night at Max of Eastman Place
with Holophonor, a diverse group of young musicians
who have one thing in common — they’re all associated with the Thelonious Monk Jazz Institute. Then I’ll head over to the
Lutheran Church to catch Sun Trio, an intriguing group from Finland. I’ll
follow that with another new (to me) group at Christ Church; Partisans is at
the forefront of the progressive British jazz scene.

My real job is Chairman of the Art Department at Nazareth
College but my love of music goes back to my childhood. My grandfather was a
bandleader, my uncle was a Broadway composer and both of my brothers are
musicians. My younger brother Hankus led bands with
future jazz greats like Don Byron and Marty Ehrlich and my twin brother Steve’s
early groups included top players like Uri Caine and David Finck.
So I’ve always been around great music. I’ve been writing about jazz for City
since the late-1990’s.

Frank De Blase

The two months out of the year that we dare to call summer
are just the best, aren’t they? And I’m not just raving about the heat and the
fact that it’s tube top and bikini season, but here in our dirty little city
along the mighty Genesee, it’s Jazz Fest time where all of downtown bristles
with excitement and its own soundtrack.  It’s
filled with all kinds of music within and outside the jazz idiom to love, to
explore, and discover.

For all the shows I’m excited to see, like tonight’s Nikki
Hill performance at the Abilene stage, there’s stuff I know little about that
I’m going to take a stab at, like Roberta Gambarini
at Max. Join me while I stumble around the scene keeping my ears open for
something swingin’, something boppin’,
and something blue, and my eyes peeled for those tube tops.

City Newspaper’s staff music writer — going on 14 years (ask
me for some stories) — I’ve covered the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival
since its beginnings.

Nicole Milano

As a newbie to this year’s Jazz Festival blogging crew, I’m
just excited to be in the crowd and a part of it all. I’ll begin my experience on
Friday at Xerox Auditorium, where I’ll take in Lorraine Klaasen’s
deep, soulful vocals. As a vocalist myself, I’m excited to experience Klaasen’s live performance, as she is known for her dynamic
stage presence.

As the festival goes on, I’ll be on the lookout for the
strong vocalists and the more outside-the-box acts. I’m especially excited for Ibrahim
Electric, a quirky Danish trio who will bring an eclectic style to Montage on
Saturday, June 27; and Ester Rada, a rising
international star with a powerful voice and wide appeal who will perform on
the festival’s final night. I’m also excited to see the Brubeck Brothers
Quartet on Sunday, June 22. With such impressive musical genes, it’s
virtually impossible for these guys to disappoint.

I will be honest with you, though, above and beyond the
music, it’s impossible to deny my excitement for the many food trucks that
station themselves on Gibbs and Main during the festival. See you there.

A writer and musician with a deep appreciation for all
things jazz, I hold a Bachelor of Music degree from Syracuse University, and
spent many of my younger days performing on both vocals and alto saxophone.
Currently, I work full-time as a Writing and Editing Specialist at Writing
Solutions Group, a small writing firm in High Falls.

Jake Clapp

I won’t add some unneeded flowery language. Simply put, I’m
beyond excited for my first Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival. As
City Newspaper’s Arts & Entertainment Editor, it’s been a lot of work and preparation
up to this point — with still more work to come — but now I’m antsy. I just
want that music.

I was born and raised in Louisiana where Swamp blues and New
Orleans jazz is soaked into virtually every aspect of life — arguably more than
the food and beer. I’ve put in my paces at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage
Festival; been to my fair share of French Quarter piano bars; and talked with
those old juke joint cats who’ve seen it all. And I’m now counting myself lucky
to find a new home in a city that truly prizes jazz and these remarkable
artists. Rochester, I think we’ll get along just swell.

Along with coordinating coverage — and burning the midnight
oil posting blogs — of course I’ll be at as many shows as I can fit in.

Most important, though, we want to know what you think.
Leave your comments on the blogs, or post them to Facebook, or Tweet us.

Who are you most excited to see at this year’s Jazz
Festival?

This article appears in Jun 25 – Jul 1, 2014.