2019 Newport Jazz Festival preview

Now celebrating its 65th year, the 2019 Newport Jazz Festival, sponsored by Natixis Investment Managers, is set to host what is arguably its most diverse lineup yet.  Artists such as Tia Fuller, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Dianne Reeves, Terrence Blanchard, Ron Carter, Aaron Diehl, and Christian Sands will balance the likes of artists that include Common, ELEW, Ghost Note, ThunderCat, Mwenso and the Shakes, Tank and the Bangas, and Makaya McCraven.  Oh, and the legendary Herbie Hancock is also scheduled to perform two sets this year.

With Grammy Award winning bassist Christian McBride now going into his third year as the Festival’s Artistic Director, the juxtaposition of jazz music’s roots to its fruit, of historic and modern present in the Festival’s lineup is seemingly representative of the crowd he may have hoped to attract when he took over the reins from the Festival’s co-founder and longtime hero of jazz Mr. George Wein back in 2017.  The hope that the music, musicians, and audience would mirror a changing of the times while also honoring and saving a place for the beautiful tradition is what the 2019 lineup reflects. No matter where one stands on the need for change at the Newport Jazz Festival, one thing is certain: a fun time will be had by all!

The Newport Jazz Festival will take place at the Fort Adams State Park August 2-4, 2019.  Performances will be spread out over four different stages all three days of the Festival and will include a special Friday night performance featuring Jon Batiste and Friends at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The Festival’s schedule can be found here while tickets are available for purchase here.