Aaron Goldberg Trio When Wynton Marsalis hired Aaron Goldberg to play piano for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, he called him "a modern improviser of great clarity, finesse, and dexterity." A sought-after sideman, Goldberg has lent his keyboard talents to Betty Carter, Joshua Redman, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and many others. (RN) aarongoldberg.com
Curley Taylor& Zydeco Trouble Curley Taylor started out banging drums as a kid with his dad's band before hitting the road with cats like C.C. Adcock and C.J. Chenier. It was Chenier that first turned Taylor from drums to accordion. He learned it in six months and you know that ain't easy. (FD) curleytaylor.com
Djabe See listing for Tuesday, June 25.
Goldings-Stewart-Bernstein So versatile a B-3 organist is Larry Goldings that he provided the entire back-up band for James Taylor's "One Man Band" project. Peter Bernstein is guitarist of choice for Jimmy Cobb, Joe Lovano, and others. And drummer Bill Stewart has made his name with stars like Maceo Parker and John Scofield. Together they give new meaning to the term triple threat. (RN) larrygoldings.com, peterbernsteinmusic.com, zildjian.com/Artists/S/Bill-Stewart
Gretchen Parlato Gretchen Parloto has played with enough famous jazz musicians to fill a whole other festival line-up. Esperanza Spalding, Marcus Miller, Terence Blanchard, and Herbie Hancock are just some of the big names with whom she's shared the stage. Parlato's singing is unique, and often involves using her voice as an instrument. (AC) gretchenparlato.com
Harold Danko Before becoming Chair of Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media at the Eastman School of Music, Harold Danko served as a sideman with Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, and Lee Konitz, and was a featured performer in the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra. His tune "Tidal Breeze" has been recorded by greats like Baker and Konitz. (RN) esm.rochester.edu/faculty/danko_harold
Jacob Karlzon 3 Innovative and playful pianist Jacob Karlzon has been winning awards in his native Sweden since his debut album came out in 1992. His style, which has been compared to that of Keith Jarrett, has made him a sought-after sideman for top players like Billy Cobham, Tim Hagans, and Kenny Wheeler. (RN) jacobkarlzon.com
Jaimoe's Jasssz Band Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson is the legendary drummer behind the Allman Brothers Band. This Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer has brought together a septet worthy of his drumming. Jaimoe's Jasssz Band combines Southern rock, blues, and soul in a way that makes you feel like you're in his home state of Mississippi. (AC) jaimoe.com
Jimmie Highsmith Jr. Experience If you like your jazz smooth, with some funk on the side, Jimmie Highsmith Jr. is the sax player for you. After studying at Rochester's School of the Arts, Highsmith joined the United States Air Force and formed a jazz band to play USO events. He has recorded four albums since returning to Rochester in the early 1990's. (RN) jimmiehighsmith.com
Lee Fields& The Expressions In the spirit of window-foggin', panty-droppin', slow-grind soulsters like The Delfonics and The Stylistics, Lee Fields does soul and r&b right. This isn't a retro rehash, either; the cat's been doing it since the late 60's, from lo-fi blues to hi-fi ballads. This is going to be date night. (FD) leefieldsandtheexpressions.com
Roberto Occhipinti Group Bassist Roberto Occhipinti plays with so many groups at the XRIJF — Sicilian Jazz Project, Hilario Duran, Soul Stew — that you might see him on three stages in one night. But he's far more than a sideman. His recent album, "A Bend in the River," displays a gloriously ambitious musical vision. (RN) robertoocchipinti.com
Rocky Lawrence plays Robert Johnson Like most bluesmen of this generation, Rocky Lawrence stumbled on the blues while deconstructing rock music. And all roads lead to the crossroads and Robert Johnson. Lawrence's Johnson send-up is more a portrayal, a one-man play if you will. Lawrence may be from Connecticut, but you can still hear the hellhound on his trail. (FD) myspace.com/RockyLawrence
Roger Hodgson: The Legendary Voice of Super Tramp Supertramp's songs have endured for decades, and have amounted to more than 60 million records sold. Roger Hodgson wrote, arranged, and sang most of the British rock group's hits. Among the most memorable are "Dreamer," "It's Raining Again," and "Give a Little Bit." (AC) rogerhodgson.com
Soweto Kinch It's probably safe to say that Soweto Kinch is the only alto saxophone player and hip-hop MC to hold a degree in modern history from Oxford University. When he's not playing an urgent solo on his alto, Kinch is rapping and rhyming in rhythm with the best of them. (RN) soweto-kinch.com
Ted Nicolosi & Shared Genes Some fathers and sons bond by going fishing; others go to the ball game. Judging by their musical bond, Sam Nicolosi started playing guitar with his son Ted at an early age. The result is Shared Genes. When it comes to finger-style guitar, they are adept at re-creating the sounds of guitarist Tommy Emmanuel and Acoustic Alchemy. (RN)
Trio Globo with Howard Levy It's hard to describe what Trio Globo does. With influences from six different countries and roots in both jazz and classical, the group is truly unique. Howard Levy (harmonica, piano) has played with Bela Fleck, Paquito d'Rivera, and Kenny Loggins. He is joined by cellist Eugene Friesen and percussionist Glen Velez. (AC) trioglobo.com
