Newport Jazz Festival Veers Slightly Back Toward Pop | Playbill

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Classic Arts News Newport Jazz Festival Veers Slightly Back Toward Pop After two years of a resolutely straight-ahead format, the JVC Jazz Festival Newport will throw some pop and contemporary jazz into the mix this year.
The 2006 schedule for the 52-year-old festival, which runs August 11-13, includes such jazz stalwarts as pianist Dave Brubeck, bassist Avishai Cohen, and vocalist Jane Monheit, but it also includes the crossover trumpeter Chris Botti, making his Newport debut; Beninese vocalist Ang_lique Kidjo; the jazz-rock trio The Bad Plus; and legendary pop-jazz singer Al Jarreau.

The festival remains much more jazz-oriented than it did before 2004, when impresario George Wein assembled an all-jazz lineup in celebration of the festival's 50th anniversary.

Also on the schedule: a salute to Frank Sinatra by singer and guitarist John Pizzarelli, rising young pianist Robert Glasper, New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Brazilian vocalist Luciana Souza, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, guitarist Mark Ribot, pianist Hiromi, saxophonist Marty Erlich, and pianist and vocalist Andy Bey.

Saxophonist James Carter will lead an all-star group in the music of the rock band Pavement; tap dancer Savion Glover will appear with a jazz group. Wein, a onetime jazz pianist, will make a rare appearance with an ensemble called the Newport All-Stars.

Tickets go on sale today, and are available at www.ticketweb.com or by calling 866-468-7619.

 
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