As we've alluded to previously in this space, we's goin' to Newport in August. NPR Music, with partners WBGO and WGBH, is traveling to The First Jazz Festival, Vol. 55, for a slew of live broadcasts and Webcasts on Aug. 8-9 (recorded for on-demand online archiving too). And today, we're proud to launch the newly-redesigned hub for our coverage of (ahem) George Wein's CareFusion Jazz Festival 55. Bookmark it here: www.npr.org/newportjazzfestival
Much more information will be available once we can actually confirm what we'll be able to feature. In the meanwhile, free music! We've created a little sampler of recordings from some — certainly not all — of the acts we're hoping to be able to present, including Roy Haynes, Esperanza Spalding, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Miguel Zenon, Branford Marsalis, and on and on ...
Check out the track list, and download here: Newport Jazz Festival 2009 iTunes Sampler (and pick up the Newport Folk Fest sampler while you're at it). The Cliffs Notes summary: as major jazz festivals go, this year's is extraordinarily diverse. Legends, modern mainstream giants, rising stars, free-jazz figureheads, progressive Latin innovators, postmodern orchestras and other fan favorites. I didn't think I'd ever say this, but really: kudos to George Wein for billing what promises to be a highlight of my summer.
For the time being, it can't hurt to get yourself some free music. And then come back for live concert coverage from Newport on Aug. 8-9 — and online archives afterward. The full lineups, of course, are at the official Jazz Festival 55 Web site.
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