I have started this blog to share and interact with others about good music. My wife and I were at last year's Newport Jazz Festival and there were some amazing artists. It wasn't all jazz but obviously there are several artists in that genre and others you should look up:
Esperanza Spalding- 24 year old, incredible bass player AND singer. You have to see her to believe she is doing both. She is without peer in this sense.
Soulive- 3 dudes; drums, organ, and guitar. The funk they make is sweet and lively. Kind of a blend between Booker T and the MG's, John Scofield and a little James Brown in the mix. Their live shows are the MOVE!! You will sweat.
Anthony Hamilton- a throwback to Otis Redding, Arthur Conley, Sam and Dave, Teddy Prendergast, to name a few. A good ol' southern fried singer with a true blend of contemporary urban and old soul. His voice is genuine and earthy; and raw blend of power and passion. You must hear him.
Needless to say we are going back to the festival this year. For economic reasons, JVC has dropped their sponsorship, so George Wein, it's founder, is shouldering the festival himself.
Will have a full report when I return.
Yes, we loved the Jazz Festival. I'm not a hard-core jazz listener, either, but at the festival they had something for almost everyone. Besides, the music seemed so real, so live, that it didn't really matter if you liked the style, you just enjoyed being part of what was happening there. To top it all off, picture the baby blue skies of Newport with powder white clouds above the beautiful water surrounding the fort where the festival is held. If you were bored for one moment, you only had to turn around to take in the beauty of the port with its picturesque sailboats, all the while music pouring out over the scene.
ReplyDeleteEsperanza Spaulding was my absolute favorite, she seemed to be a magical musician who captivated everyone in earshot. My husband took me as a surprise to her show in New York this past Valentine's Day!