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Saxophonist Peter Apfelbaum (center) plays the melodica at the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival, accompanied by Yunior Terry (left) on bass and Dafnis Prieto (right) on drums.

Listen Dafnis Prieto Sextet, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012 WBGO

August 4, 2012 – The Cuban drummer and his next-level comprehension of clave powers a volatile, horn-heavy sextet. WBGO

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Drummer Jack DeJohnette (right) performs with guitarist Dave Fiuczynski (left) at the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival.

Listen Jack DeJohnette Group, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012 WGBH

August 4, 2012 – The great drummer turns 70 the week after this electric concert — figuratively and literally. WGBH

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Vocalist and conguero Pedrito Martinez (center) performs with bassist Alvaro Benavides (right) at the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival.

Listen Pedrito Martinez Group, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012 WGBH

August 4, 2012 – The charismatic conguero leads a band way beyond what you'd think of Afro-Cuban music or jazz. WGBH

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Saxophonist John Ellis (center) performs with Matt Perrine (left) on sousaphone at the 2012 Newport Jazz Festival.

Listen John Ellis Double-Wide, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2012

August 4, 2012 – You can take the tenor saxophonist out of the South, but you can't take the South out of his music.

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Fans celebrate the close of the Newport Jazz Festival.

Watch Relive The 2012 Newport Jazz Festival

August 3, 2012 – Hear sets from Miguel Zenon, Bill Frisell, Jenny Scheinmann, Jack DeJohnette, and many more.

A view of the crowd and harbor from Fort Adams at the 2010 Newport Jazz Festival.

Read Newport Jazz 2012: The Preview Mix WBGO

July 30, 2012 – Get ready for the festival with this mix of its artists, from living legends to young phenoms. WBGO

Wynton Marsalis' ensemble performs at the Newport Jazz Festival.

Read Live At The 2012 Newport Jazz Festival

July 9, 2012 – Watch a live video webcast from coastal New England during the weekend of August 4-5.

Ravi Coltrane performs with his quartet, including Luis Perdomo (left) and Drew Gress (on bass) on the Harbor Stage during the Newport Jazz Festival.

Listen Ravi Coltrane Quartet, Live At Newport WBGO

August 8, 2011 – Hear a new set of repertoire played at Newport by the tenor saxophonist who blazes his own trail. WBGO

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Rudresh Mahanthappa (left) And Bunky Green perform with Apex on the Quad stage during the Newport Jazz Festival.

Listen Rudresh Mahanthappa And Bunky Green, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2011 WGBH

August 8, 2011 – Hear a matchup of two sizzling and sinuous alto saxophonists, and the touring band it spawned. WGBH

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Charles Lloyd performs on the Fort Stage during the Newport Jazz Festival.

Read Charles Lloyd's Sangam, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2011

August 8, 2011 – Hear Charles Lloyd, Indian-born tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain and drumming phenom Eric Harland.

Ambrose Akinmusire performs with his quintet on the Harbor Stage during the Newport Jazz Festival.

Listen Ambrose Akinmusire Quintet, Live At Newport WBGO

August 8, 2011 – Hear the tight quintet, among the most sought-after players of their generation, play at Newport. WBGO

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Joshua Redman, on saxophone, and Eric Harland, on drums, perform as half of James Farm on the Fort Stage during the Newport Jazz Festival.

Listen James Farm, Live In Concert: Newport Jazz 2011

August 7, 2011 – Hear two songs from the collective quartet's performance at Newport.

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Dan Willis, on tenor saxophone, performs with the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble on the Quad Stage during the Newport Jazz Festival.

Listen Newport Jazz 2011: John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, Live In Concert WGBH

August 7, 2011 – Hear a special set from Newport, featuring Theo Bleckmann, Kate McGarry and pianist Uri Caine. WGBH

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Avishai Cohen performs with his trio, Triveni, on the Harbor Stage during the Newport Jazz Festival.

Listen Avishai Cohen's Triveni With Anat Cohen, Live At Newport WBGO

August 7, 2011 – Hear the fervently imaginative trumpeter perform at Newport with his trio and special guests. WBGO

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About The Festival

The Newport Jazz Festival, was founded by jazz pianist George Wein in 1954 as the first outdoor music festival of its kind devoted entirely to jazz, and is now universally acknowledged as the grandfather of all jazz festivals. For information on attending this year's Festival, visit their official website.

Credits

NPR Music's coverage of the Newport Jazz Festival is supported by the Argus Fund.