Newport Jazz Festival: Day 2

Saturday, August 1, 2015 -- Newport, RI

Day two of the Newport Jazz Festival kicked off with a performance by the Navy Band Northeast playing some tunes for the crowd at the gates as they awaited entry.  Those Navy fellas were some funky dudes! I was expecting some jazz or something. Nope, they got their groove on. Go Navy!

My first stop of the day was at the Quad Stage where I caught a little bit of Conrad Herwig's Latin Side of Horace Silver. I than headed to the Fort Stage to take in a bit of Jack DeJohnette's Made in Chicago.

I took my first break of the day and then headed back to the Quad to see Cecile McLorin Salvant with the Aaron Diehl Trio.  I than popped over to the Fort Stage for a bit of the Maria Schneider Orchestra.

Up next was a trip to the Harbor Stage to take in a bit of Wycliffe Gordon & Friends before heading over to hear a bit of Jose James.  

Wow, that's a lot of music and the day wasn't over. I made it around to catch Jon Batiste and Stay Human. Having seen them the previous week at folk fest, I was happy to see they changed things up a bit having some different folks on stage. With the exception of Batiste, drummer Joe Saylor and saxophonist Eddie Barbash everyone else appeared to be different from the previous week.

My next stop was over to the Quad to catch some of Hiromi: The Trio Project before heading to the main stage to Cassandra Wilson who was celebrating Billie Holiday. After that, I took a bit of a break and than headed to the Quad. Joey Alexander who had performed earlier on the Storyville Stage in the museum (yeah, I didn't make it to any of those sets, at all, the entire weekend) and was playing a short encore set.

I ended my day at the Quad Stage where Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton killed it. I sadly missed her version of "Wild Horses" as I had to leave a bit early but everyone raved about it!

Check out more photos in the slideshow below or see the photo album HERE.

Newport Jazz Festival: Day 3 Through My Lens

Newport Jazz Festival - August 4, 2013 @ Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI

It was three days of great music in a great location.  As the weekend came to an end, we had to bid adieu to the Newport Jazz Festival presented by Natixis Global Asset Management ... well, at least until next year when the iconic festival will be celebrating 60 years since it's birth!  See you all there?!

Harbor Stage

Jon Batiste & Stay Human

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Dirty Dozen Brass Band

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Quad Stage

Donny McCaslin Group

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Jim Hall with Special Guest Julian Lage

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Dee Alexander

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Hiromi: The Trio Project

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Fort Stage

University of Rhode Island Jazz Festival Big Band

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Joshua Redman Quartet

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Chick Corea & The Vigil

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Newport Jazz Festival: A Recap In Pictures

Newport Jazz Festival: August 6 @ Fort Adams State Park, Newport, RI

This past Saturday, I spent the day at Fort Adams State Park taking in the Newport Jazz Festival. I missed Sunday, I was sick and it was raining. That's some sort of cosmic double negative, right? So, I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get to check out Angelique Kidjo, catch Trombrone Shorty again and based on the recommendation of friends, the sets of Avishai Cohen and Rudresh Mahanthappa & Bunky Green. But, Saturday provided plenty.

There was, I think, something for everyone be it a more traditional jazz fan or a more adventurous sort. I watched as people flocked to sets by Hiromi who played solo, Esperanza Spalding and Trombone Shorty. All three performed the next day as well. Though I missed his set, I heard more than one person rave about Joey DeFrancesco's performance.

Above: New Black Eagle Jazz Band

The New Eagle Jazz Band kicked off the festival with their traditional New Orleans sound.

Above: Mostly Other People Do The Killing
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Above: Regina Carter's Reverse Thread
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Above: Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet
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Above: Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Band
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Above: Hiromi
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Above: Wynton Marsalis
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Above: Esperanza Spalding & Friends
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The was a huge crowd surrounding the Quad Stage when Grammy winning bassist Esperanza Spalding took the stage. I was actually temporarily pinned to my spot in the photo pit when it seemed like every photographer covering the festival magically appeared. I momentarily wondered if there were any people watching the artists performing on the other two stages. She and her band of friends charmed an adoring crowd.

Above: Grace Kelly

Above: Randy Weston's African Rhythms Trio
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Above: Guitarist Al Di Meola & Pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba