The legacy of the Newport Jazz Festival is uncontested.
As the oldest jazz festival in North America (established in 1954), Newport is simply hallowed ground. Louis, Ella, Miles, Coltrane, Sonny, and countless others all left their marks through George Wein’s vision. And some 72 years later, under the stewardship of Jay Sweet and first year Artistic Director Nate Smith, it is as vibrant and groundbreaking as ever.
As a photographer, I experience the music both visually and aurally, but rarely get to more than 10 minutes of each performance. Barely enough time to reflect on what I hear, yet an embarrassment of riches nonetheless. And surprises. And anticipation.
This year’s lineup was stacked from the get go. Over 50 acts across the three days, blessed by temps barely out of the 70s. The spirit of the Miles Davis and John Coltrane centennial, as well as the passing of the Saxophone Colossus Sonny Rollins, hung in the breezes off Narragansett Bay and hugged the 200-year old walls of Fort Adams. No coincidence I was halfway through Miles’ autobiography when I arrived in Newport.
I am one of the few West Coast photographers covering Newport Jazz, and my fellow photographers have become good friends, while staff treats me like a favorite cousin.
I am also privileged to shoot portrait sessions when I can. These moments are brief but personal, often squeezed in after a set and before interviews, on very tight schedules.
A good rapport with an artist shows in the results and this year, I was fortunate to spend time with Mohini Dey, Nduduzo Makhathini, Chief Adjuah, Kamasi Washington, Vulfpeck and Mei Semones.
Last year, bassist Mohini Dey appeared in Willow’s band, whose set was one of the surprises of the festival. This year, she led her own band through an early Friday set like a hurricane making landfall.
The Quebec duo Angine de Poitrine made its U.S. debut, stunning many at the Fort Stage not acquainted with their prog-meets-Tool math-rock antics. As jazz by nature challenges the ears and what’s between them, I thought it was a clever booking, but that’s me. And the Charles Lloyd Sky Quartet with Jason Moran, Larry Grenadier and Kweku Sumbry put me under a spell from the first notes. Lloyd has been a regular presence at the Fort in recent years; he shows no signs of slowing at age 88, still reveling in the music and his band mates with utter joy.
Saturday’s programming was brilliant from end to end starting with an 11 a.m. set by drummer Billy Hart proving that youth is not a fountain, but a rhythm. His quartet included pianist Ethan Iverson and Walter Smith III on tenor. It was a highlight in a
day of highlights, continuing to show that some of Newport’s best sets are first sets.
Cory Wong recruited Joshua Redman in a rare turn of blistering leads from the furious funk guitarist exchanged with Redman’s high stepping solos. John Scofield and Dave Holland were masters of elegant conversation and exploration.
Linda May Han Oh and Ambrose Akinmusire were honored by the Jazz Journalists Association before her trio’s enthusiastically received and buzzed about performance. Speaking of buzzed about, I missed Flea and Chad Smith’s surprise sit in with Jon Batiste, but caught an earlier moment with Chief Adjuah and Flea unleashing their inner fan boys on each other. Didn’t need to lip read to know that embouchures and mouthpieces probably came up.
The Saturday closing set belonged to “Sonny Miles on a Trane,”the tribute set with Kamasi Washington, the West Coast Get Down and Chief Adjuah that seamlessly melded Coltrane and Miles tunes (“All Blues” and “Ole,” “Milestones” and “Impressions”) into something fresh yet in-your-bones familiar. Emotion that was also fueled by the remembrance of Ryan Porter, co-founder of the Get Down and Kamasi’s beloved bandmate and childhood friend, a loss he shared openly with the audience.
Sunday was no slouch, with Herbie Hancock closing the festival, and Flea making his Newport debut with his Honora Band.
But I was taken with Marquis Hill’s Blacktet that included vibe wizard Joel Ross, drummer Makaya McCraven and the sonically revelatory Emmanuel Michael on guitar. L.A.’s own SML layered improvisation stayed with me, and Josh Johnson and Anna Butterss pulled triple duty, sitting in with an impromptu ‘Off the Cuff’ set with Nate Smith (after Sienna Spiro cancelled for medical reasons) and backing Flea. Who was, well, Flea. In constant motion moving between trumpet and bass, and with great appreciation to be on the Newport Jazz stage at all. The Bad Plus Farewell tour really seemed like the end of the road and Rachael Price and Lake Street Dive were as infectious and rollicking as I’ve ever seen them.
The Miles Trane will keep rolling. New ears will find old music, and old ears will find new music. For me, that’s the essence of the Newport Jazz experience.
