WPRO News
Newport Jazz Festival Founder and producer George Wein and Artistic Director Christian McBride announced the first wave of artists for the 2017 Newport Jazz Festival Wednesday afternoon.
The Festival takes place at Fort Adams State Park and the International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino August 4 – 6.
The partial lineup announced Wednesday includes the following acts:
Friday, August 4
The Original Béla Fleck & The Flecktones
Cécile McLorin Salvant
Vijay Iyer & Wadada Leo Smith
One for All: Jim Rotondi, Steve Davis, Eric Alexander, David Hazeltine, John Webber & Joe Farnsworth
Saturday, August 5
Snarky Puppy
Vijay Iyer Sextet
Dominick Farinacci
Antonio Sanchez & Migration
Sunday, August 6
Andra Day
Hudson: Jack DeJohnette, John Scofield, John Medeski & Larry Grenadier
Sean Jones Quintet with Brian Hogans, Orrin Evans, Luques Curtis & Obed Calvaire
“This first wave of artists is just a taste of what you will find at Newport this year,” said George Wein. “The entire lineup reflects Christian McBride’s contributions in his first year as Artistic Director of the Festival, and we’re excited to present some old friends along with some new faces this year.”
Wein continued, “Two years ago we introduced a young lady who now tops the jazz polls: Cécile McLorin Salvant. We are proud to present her again this year as a part of our Friday program. Friday at the Fort will still present several emerging artists, as we have in the past; but we’ve asked one of jazz’s finest artists, Béla Fleck, to headline with the original lineup of The Flecktones.”
Wein and his team first booked Snarky Puppy in 2014. “We felt the group had star potential. We were right. Snarky Puppy is now one of the biggest groups in jazz, and we’re happy that they will be a part of our Saturday program.”
Vijay Iyer, one of the most talked about pianists in jazz today will appear twice at the festival – on Friday in duet with veteran trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith, and on Saturday with his quintet. Trumpeters Dominick Farinacci and Sean Jones will appear as well as One For All, an all-star, group featuring David Hazeltine, Eric Alexander, Jim Rotondi, John Webber, Steve Davis and Joe Farnsworth. Antonio Sanchez, says Wein, is “a unique and creative artist and will be a major figure at this year’s festival.”
Newport Jazz Festival’s Artistic Director Christian McBride added, “Another new face at Newport, but a bright and shining star around the world, is Andra Day, who will be making her debut with us on Sunday. We worked together last year at the White House, and I’ve been a fan of hers for quite a while. Her talent is immense and I believe she will have a long, successful and fruitful career. I hope she’ll be among the many artists who make a mark on the Newport audience and return again and again.
“Jack DeJohnette is one of the greatest titans walking the earth. I have played with him in Newport over the years, memorably with one of his own groups and with Bruce Hornsby. Being around him is always a learning experience, and I’m looking forward to soaking in what this staple of the jazz community will share with us this year when he appears with the group Hudson, also featuring John Scofield, John Medeski and Larry Grenadier.”
The Newport Jazz Festival will again present music on four stages, including Storyville, the intimate venue located in the former Museum of Yachting.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the 2017 Newport Jazz Festival go on sale worldwide Wednesday, January 18, at 10:00 am EST. Details at www.newportjazzfest.org.
General Admission tickets (no chairs provided) are $65.00 in advance for the Friday, August 4 daytime event at Fort Adams and $79.00 per day for Saturday and Sunday. These tickets will be $75.00 for Friday and $ 89.00 for Saturday and Sunday at the gate, if available.
Two-day passes (for Saturday and Sunday) are $145.00. Three-Day passes (for Friday – Sunday events at Fort Adams) are $170.00.
A limited number of Student tickets are $20.00 per day for high school students older than 15 and college students with valid ID. Students must use the Student gate and present valid ID to enter the festival. Offer valid for eligible students while supplies last. Children’s tickets are $ 15.00 for children aged 3 – 15.
Reserved Seating, priced at $125.00, is available for the Saturday and Sunday events at Fort Adams.
Tickets for THE Jazz Club, a premium experience offered on Saturday and Sunday, are $375.00 per day. For more details, visit www.newportjazzfet.org.
General Admission tickets for all Fort Adams events also can be purchased in person at the Newport Visitors Information Center, located at 23 Americas Cup Avenue. Log on to www.discovernewport.org for office hours and information. Local discounts offered. No service charges apply.
