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Wednesday brought together a stellar arrangement of acts at the Rochester International Jazz Festival. The streets were busy, the crowds were dancing, and the evening was as exciting as ever. Here’s a closer look at some performances:
Cécile McLorin Salvant, who played the 7 p.m. slot at Kodak Hall, embodies excellence. She’s a vocal chameleon and keystone species in the world of contemporary jazz—and it’s clear to see why: cool presence, excellent technique and a range to rival the most triumphant of songbirds. But let’s not be comparative; it’s clear Salvant is in a league of her own.
Her hour-long set was backed by Sullivan Fortner on keys, Yasushi Nakamura on upright bass, and Kyle Poole on drum set. Although Salvant sank well into the spotlight as she meandered in and out of her vocal work, the group played together as one. Nothing felt forced; Salvant’s stretches from soprano to tenor felt easy, just as her movement from gossamer lilts to brassier belts was always impressively clean. Though her setlist spanned a wide discography (and almost 2,000 years), each piece moved cohesively, strung from one to the next like the floral beads on Salvant’s necklace.
Her technique followed this sense of flow. On the opener “I am a Volcano,” a song off Salvant’s 2025 album “Oh Snap,” she juxtaposed her gentle tone with dark confession, crooning her tendency to “destroying everything / destroying everything…” as the instrumentalists unraveled into a deconstructed romp.
She knew when to explode—taking the helm on songs like City of Angels’ “With Every Breath I Take” and the giddily upbeat jazz standard “Changeable Daddy of Mine.” On what seemed to mark the climax of the evening, a 17th-century French piece titled “Objet Dont Les Doux Charmes Si Doux,” Salvant ascended to an emotional peak over Fortner’s gentle keys.
On the other side of the spectrum, original songs like “Second Guessing” highlighted Salvant’s contemporary talents—looping in 808-esque drums and dissonant harmonies from Fortner.
Salvant’s energy was always controlled: It catered perfectly to the crowd and the ebb and flow of their desires. The crowd lapped like a gentle wave throughout the hour, compelled by her tidal pull. The backing visuals aided in this—seemingly paper cut images of florals and fantasy creatures (including an enormous ant kissing a man and a sentimental cyclops horse) that shifted with each song. They got a few laughs, perked a few smiles, but most pertinently tapped into Salvant’s authenticity and resonance.
The final song of the hour, a 500 BCE piece from Aeschylus’ “Agamemnon” (adapted in the 1970s BBC production), closed the act with prophetic intensity. Underneath red lights, Salvant ushered in the Greek hero’s tragic tale with her eyes close to bursting at their seams. When the dust settled, she began a call and response with the audience: “Batter / batter the doom drum / but believe / there will be better.”
In these times, perhaps it was the thing to hear.
Upon stepping outside and promptly hearing a rendition of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie,” I decided to follow my ears to my next act of the evening. I took in the music briefly from afar to acknowledge the food trucks, merch tents, and sea of attendees before settling in for the rest of Almost There’s set at Rhythm Square.
In tandem with the Jazz Street Stage, the outdoor stage hosts nightly free concerts for all festivalgoers. Grab a bite, get a drink, and join your friends—it’s the perfect opportunity. For this Wednesday night romp, Almost There brought out a swinging septet and an array of covers, jazz and otherwise. The group is a family affair, composed of members of the Tiberos, Yawmans, and more, which lends well to their on-stage synergy.
Following “Valerie,” which particularly highlighted singer Shannon Yawman Walsh’s robust upper range, the group moved into a rock-infused cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstitition.” The song’s iconic riff swirled between the classic saxophone and electric guitar to make a fresh rendition of their own.
The group ended the night with Paramore’s “Ain’t It Fun”—not exactly a jazz standard, but a pop masterpiece that wrapped the set with a charming and saxophone-sparkled bow. In a sense, Almost There dedicated their set to the crowd, crafting repertoire that ensured a stellar evening for both those on stage and in the audience.
To close out the evening, I made my way to Dolphin Hyperspace at The Duke—an electro-jazz duo dedicated to a sonic life as dolphin devotees. Could there be anything more beautiful? According to Craig, the man sitting next to me, who was tuning into the act for the second time that night, probably not.
The duo, saxophonist Nicole McCabe and bassist/composer Logan Kane, was joined for the festival by Eliza Salem on drums. They make self-described “dolphin themed laptop jazz”—a conglomeration of rambunctious DIY electronic (played from a LogicPro-loaded laptop), heavily-compressed bass, and, of course, a saxophone. Out of the artists at the festival, it’s clear they’ve had more internet access than many of the other groups combined. But it’s also clear that it’s served them incredibly well.
Despite starting the set at 9:45 p.m., the duo busted out with an energy to rival the most deadly of caffeine doses: Their music was loud, their grooves were fast, and they were ready to absolutely riot.
Kane, who donned a T-shirt stating “I wonder if the dolphins dream about me too,” took no breath before whirring into the first of many (many) guitar shreds—a thrashing and unruly effort that came out impressively clean.
“ROCHESTER!” he’d shout into the mic, pausing briefly before immediately setting fire to his instrumental muse.
McCabe followed suit in a more gentle manner, shimmying up and down her saxophone with a lighter melodic tone. In a way, her woodwind chirps resounded as if a dolphin had gurgled them up. While I don’t think she trapped a dolphin in her saxophone, the verdict is inconclusive. Lift the spell. Set them free.
With that said, the first few moments of the set did feel somewhat spellbinding—a woozy and psychedelic feeling conjured by a mindboggling combination of instrumentation. The electronic production, while slightly overtaken by the concoction of live performance, batted from bit-crushed synth work to star-sent chimes and everything in between. It was a crazy mix, but well-fitting.
While other acts of the night may be described as a story, Dolphin Hyperspace leaves you with nothing less than a trip: You don’t know what’s going to happen next, and you don’t particularly want to.
The tiny inflatable dolphins situated at the edge of the stage only added to this effect, as did declarations like “BIG FISHY,” which stated that if you didn’t know that dolphins were mammals, you might think they were “big fishies.” Their brand isn’t the most serious, but it is something spectacular.
Craig was right—I’d never seen anything like them before. But, I really, really want to again.
For the Beacon’s Jazz Fest coverage, click here.
Alex Holly is a Rochester Beacon contributing writer and member of the Oasis Project’s second cohort.
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