Rob Wells, host of KUAF's Jazz Scoop, is preparing to travel to Rhode Island to cover the historic Newport Jazz Festival. He stopped by the Susan and Anthony Hui News Studio to discuss his trip, the festival, and what audiences might hear from his coverage.
Wells and his wife, Deborah St. Coeur, first started attending the Newport Jazz Festival by boat in the late 1990s. It was an excellent way to see major jazz acts for free, but one year, the wind blew in the wrong direction, and the sound was poor. As a result, they decided to attend the festival by land in 2007 and have continued to attend every year since then. The Jazz Scoop will share stories and images from the 2025 festival. In the meantime, here is a collection of Wells’ favorite photos from previous festivals.
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Cecile McLorin Salvant performs at 2017 Newport Jazz Festival
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The crowd starts to fill in at the main stage at Fort Adams for the 2024 Newport Jazz Festival
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Thundercat drew a packed crowd for his 2019 performance.
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Acclaimed bassist and composer Christian McBride, who has won nine Grammy awards, is the artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival
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George Wein, the legendary artistic director of the Newport Jazz Festival, made his final public musical performance in 2019.
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There are three stages for the Newport Jazz Festival. This one was packed in 2024.
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Darcy James Argue leads his big band, Secret Society, during the 2019 Newport Jazz Festival
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Guitarist John Scofield warms up during the 2016 festival. He will perform with Marcus Miller and Louis Cato at this year’s festival.
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Maceo Parker, the legendary saxophone player for James Brown, performs in 2017.
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Fans loved the Maceo Parker set.
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Dee Dee Bridgewater, center, with her band in 2019.
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Dee Dee Bridgewater and her tribute to the Memphis sound in 2019
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Harpist Edmar Castañeda performs in 2016. He will perform with Bela Fleck and Antonio Sanchez this year.
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Fashion statement at the 2023 festival
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Legendary bassist Victor Wooten performs with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones in 2017
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Vocalist Cassandra Wilson performed a tribute to Billie Holiday at the 2015 festival
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The designated dance area on the main stage, which is essential for bands such as Chic, Parliament, Angelique Kidjo and many others
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Dancing isn’t confined to the crowd, however. An unidentified vocalist in the Maceo Parker band in 2017
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Some 50 separate musical performances stretch across the three-day festival
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Corey Henry with Galactic performs in 2016. A few months later, Galactic performed at George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville, in what was a mind-bending experience.
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A tribute to some of the musical legends who performed at the Newport Jazz Festival
