2015 Newport Jazz Festival® Lineup Announced

After producing a successful and exciting 60th anniversary celebration last year, George Wein today announced that the 2015 Newport Jazz Festival® presented by Natixis Global Asset Management will return to the City-by-the-Sea July 31 - August 2 with three full days of music at Fort Adams State Park, plus the popular Friday night concert at the International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino and a festive Gala at the historic Breakers on Saturday evening. 

The 2015 edition of America's first annual jazz festival will feature Chris Botti, Cassandra Wilson, Jamie Cullum, Snarky Puppy, Maria Schneider, Arturo Sandoval, Kenny Garrett, Billy Childs, Arturo O'Farrill, Fred Hersch, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Jon Batiste, Kneebody, Hiromi with her trio and piano duets with Michel Camilo, Jon Faddis, James Carter, Christian McBride, Bill Frisell, Mike Stern/Bill Evans Band, Ambrose Akinmusire, Tom Harrell, Pat Martino, Matana Roberts, John Hollenbeck and the much-anticipated return of  Dr. John, who had to bow out last year due to illness. 

"No one was more excited by last year's anniversary than I," said George Wein, who has produced the Festival since its beginning in 1954. "We set out to present some of the most outstanding established and emerging artists with distinctive musical stories who not only represented the past and the present, but also the future of jazz. Based on the great response from the audience and critics alike, we believe we achieved our goal while fulfilling the mission of the Newport Festivals Foundation™. With the full day of emerging artists on Friday followed by two jam-packed days of amazing talent, we are looking forward to many more memorable moments in jazz history." 

Of the more than 40 bands performing on three stages at Fort Adams, 19 are making their Newport debut. Among the first-timers are Kneebody, Childs, Hersch, Roberts and Harrell as well as Steve Lehman, Gerald Clayton, Bria Skonberg, Wycliffe Gordon, José James, Lucky Peterson, Johnathan Blake and the 11-year old Indonesian piano prodigy Joey Alexander. 

The Newport Festivals Foundation will again host THE Jazz Club, a special experience offered on Saturday and Sunday at Fort Adams. The option includes special seating, reserved parking, tented lounge access, upgraded restroom facilities and a Festival poster. 

The lineup for the Newport Jazz Festival presented by Natixis Global Asset Management is as follows: 

Friday, July 31, 2015, 11:00 am - 6:30 pm

Snarky Puppy, Christian McBride Trio: Christian McBride, Christian Sands, Ulysses Owens

John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, Ambrose Akinmusire Quartet: Ambrose Akinmusire, Sam Harris, Harish Raghavan, Justin Brown, Steve Lehman Octet*: Steve Lehman, Chris Dingman, Mark Shim, Jonathan Finlayson, José Davila, Tim  Albright, Drew Gress, Kneebody:  Adam Benjamin, Shane Endsley, Kaveh Rastegar, Ben Wendel, Nate Wood, Gerald Clayton Quintet: Gerald Clayton, Ambrose Akinmusire, Ben Wendel, Joe Sanders, Justin Brown, Bria Skonberg Quintet: Bria Skonberg, Evan Arntzen, Dalton Ridenhour, Sean Cronin, Darrian Douglas, Herlin Riley Quintet*: Herlin Riley, Godwin Louis, Bruce Harris, Emmet Cohen, Russell Hall, Lucky Peterson - Singin' the Blues: Lucky Peterson, Shawn Kellerman, Timothy Waites,  Raul Valdés, Matana Roberts' Coin Coin, Johnathan Blake Quartet: Johnathan Blake, Mark Turner, Ben Street, Peter Evans Quintet: Peter Evans, Sam Pluta, Ron Stabinsky, Tom Blancarte, Jim Black, The Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra with special guest soloist Sean Jones, URI Newport Big Band: Dr. Jared Sims, Director

Friday, July 31, 2015, 8:00 pm

Chris Botti, Jon Batiste & Stay Human

Saturday, August 1, 2015, 11:00 am - 7:00 pm 

Cassandra Wilson celebrates Billie Holiday, Jon Batiste & Stay Human, Maria Schneider Orchestra, Irvin Mayfield & the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Cécile McLorin Salvant: Cecile McLorin Salvant, Aaron Diehl, Paul Sikivie, Lawrence Leathers, José James, Pat Martino Organ Trio: Pat Martino, Pat Bianchi, Carmen Intorre, Jr., Conrad Herwig's Latin Side of Horace Silver featuring guest Michel Camilo:, Conrad Herwig, Michel Camilo, Craig Handy, Igor Butman, Alex Sipiagin, Bill O'Connell, Ruben Rodriguez, Robby Ameen, Richie Flores,

Hiromi: The Trio Project: Hiromi, Anthony Jackson, Simon Phillips, Kenny Garrett Quintet: Kenny Garrett, Rudy Bird, Vernell Brown, Corcoran Holt, McClenty Hunter, Wycliffe Gordon & Friends, Tom Harrell Quintet: Tom Harrell, Wayne Escoffery, Danny Grissett, Ugonna Okegwo, Johnathan Blake, Introducing Joey Alexander: Joey Alexander, Russell Hall, Sammy Miller, RI Music Educators Association Sr. All-State Jazz Ensemble conducted by Willie Hill

  

Saturday, August 1, 2015, 7:30 pm

Newport Festivals Foundation Gala (Artists To Be Announced)

Sunday, August 2, 2015, 11:00 am - 7:00 pm

Jamie Cullum, Arturo Sandoval, Dr. John & The Nite Trippers, Michel Camilo/Hiromi Piano Duets: Michel Camilo, Hiromi Uehara, Mike Stern/Bill Evans Band: Mike Stern, Bill Evans, Tom Kennedy, Steve Smith, Arturo O'Farrill's Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra with special guest Rudresh Mahanthappa, Bill Frisell Trio: Bill Frisell, Tony Scherr, Kenny Wollesen, Billy Childs Sextet with Strings*: Billy Childs, Steve Wilson, Carol Robbins, Larry Koonse, Hans Glawischnig, Ari Hoenig, String Quartet, Jon Faddis: Triumph of Trumpets: Jon Faddis, MarquisHill, Sean Jones, David Hazeltine, Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Dion Parsons, James Carter Sextet - Living My Life: The Music of Don Byas, Fred Hersch Trio: Fred Hersch, John Hebert, Eric McPherson, Lou Donaldson Quartet: Lou Donaldson, Randy Johnston, Akiko Tsuruga,

Fukushi Tainaka, Scott Robinson's Doctette: Scott Robinson, Randy Sandke, Ted Rosenthal, Pat O'Leary, Dennis Mackrel. Jason Lindner Now vs. Now. MA Music Educators Association All-State Jazz Band conducted by Julius Tolentino.