I have seen the headliners at six previous Rochester International Jazz Festivals, so I do not say this lightly: Dee Dee Bridgewater's performance Saturday night at the Eastman Theatre was the best of them all. And it wasn't just her phenomenal voice. Her movement on stage -- African dance and body language -- was absolutely spellbinding.

Bridgewater's set showcased her involvement with Malian musicians over the past several years in an effort to find her African roots. Her band consisted of pianist Edsel Gomez, bassist and musical director Ira Coleman, drummer/percussionist Minino Gara, and three Malian musicians. All of them were fantastic, but Cherif Soumano was especially incredible on the kora (a precursor to the harp, Bridgewater explained) that he made himself.

She was also joined by two great African singers, Mamani Keita and Kabine Kouyate, for duets that embodied the brilliance of her exploration. Bridgewater is a jazz singer; Keita and Kouyate are native African singers. Their interplay beautifully illustrated the roots of jazz.

But it didn't stop there. Bridgewater interacted with all of her band mates through dance and call-and-response. Often she had conversations with African instruments in monosyllabic sounds. She roamed the stage with hyper-kinetic energy and a contagious glow. She was bald and beautiful.

The peak of the performance consisted of a powerful duet -- in song and dance -- with Kouyate on the title song of Bridgewater's recent album, "Red Earth," with three percussionists playing ever more complex polyrhythms and Gomez contributing a wildly percussive piano solo. It was simply magical.

Richard Bona, the superb bassist/singer from Cameroon, opened the show with his excellent band. Whether he tapped, thumped, or made his instrument sing, there was no question of his mastery of the five-string electric bass.

But Bona's show was more about his joy in playing, singing, and kidding with his band and the audience. His set of up-tempo romps and a beautiful ballad culminated in "Sing, Sing, Sing," a rousing Latin jam showcasing his band's excellent percussionist.

I began the night at Kilbourn Hall where The Bad Plus had a surprise for the audience: a female singer!!!!! She came on halfway through the show, looking like a beatnik right out of the 1950's.

Her name is Wendy Lewis, and her singing style fits the band nicely. The Bad Plus had just recorded an album with her and this was their very first performance together.

Their first tune together was nicely weird, but the second sounded like a pretty pop song, complete with vocal harmony from bassist Reid Anderson. I was beginning to think they'd lost their minds. Or found their minds. Whatever.

But then came "Blue Velvet." Yep, the Bobby Vinton song. And there they were back in their trademark territory, taking a middlebrow song that you weren't sure you ever wanted to hear again and subverting the harmony, the melody, and the chords to the point where it became really interesting.

It got better. The Bee-Gees' "How Deep Is Your Love" was next. It was really, really deep.

They did falter a bit on U2's "New Year's Day." It's already too good a song -- stick to the crap. And they did, closing with an encore on Heart's "Barracuda." (If I'm wrong about that song, it's because I have good taste.)

I caught half of Ola Kvernberg's set at the Lutheran Church. He's a wonderful violinist whose playing ran from classical, through pseudo-country (for his grandfather -- you had to be there), all the way to avant-garde.

Two guitarists whose styles are diametrically opposed will be on my Sunday night menu. Howard Alden is one of the finest traditional bop players on the scene today. John Scofield is, in the jazziest sense of the word, a rocker. And I just can't stay away from the Lutheran Church where, tomorrow night, innovative pianist Jacob Anderskov will take the stage.