When Dave Brubeck finished his sixth or seventh tune after playing for an hour and 10 minutes, he announced an intermission. The audience was a bit stunned; the 87-year-old pianist was not finished. By comparison, last Saturday night Jerry Lee Lewis , a mere 71, played for 45 minutes and left the stage.

But Brubeck was really into it. He has great memories of Rochester and, as he has in past appearances, talked about how much the Eastman Theatre and the late Eastman School of Music faculty member, Rayburn Wright meant to him.

He played beautifully, building his solos and, on one occasion, launched into a little bit of ragtime-style playing. Much of the concert was closer to chamber jazz, including a performance of the second movement of his brother Howard Brubeck’s “Dialogue for Jazz Combo and Symphony Orchestra.”

At previous RIJF appearances I’d been a bit disappointed that of all of his classic tunes Brubeck only did “Take Five.” This time it was great to hear “Three To Get Ready.”

Brubeck quartet is superb, but especially wonderful were all of the solos on alto saxophone and flute by the great Bobby Militello.

Over at Max at Eastman Place Hilario Duran play absolutely sparkling Afro-Cuban-style piano. When his drummer picked up the pace of the Latin beat on “Hot House,” Duran played a counter rhythm, creating a delicious tension. On “Peanut Vendor” Duran took off on a complex chord-based solo followed by lightning legato runs.

I would have stayed for the entire set, but the buzz on Bettye Lavette was so strong I couldn’t resist going over to Harro East to catch her show.

Lavette is a tiny woman with a gargantuan voice. She is the embodiment of great old-school r&b, the kind that’s been shoved aside by hip-hop. Every song told a story and Lavette  put them across with her magnificently raspy voice and her expressive body language. She sang some of her old hits like “Your Turn to Cry” and “He Made a Woman Out of Me,” and some songs from her new album, including Joan Armatrading’s “Down to Zero.” When she slowed it down and sat on the edge of the stage to sing a ballad, you could hear that proverbial pin drop.

I ended the night at the Jam Session over at the Crowne Plaza, where RIJF Artistic Director John Nugent joined Bob Sneider and his excellent trio for some burning tunes.

Thursday night I’m looking forward to Wynton Marsalis conducting and playing his (and Yacub Addy’s) new piece, “Congo Square.” Before and after Marsalis, I’m hoping to catch the great James Moody and The Latin Side of Miles Davis. But then there’s Jason Moran & The Bandwagon … (Offer to Nugent: Need any help with the scheduling next year?)