Saturday, May 30, 2015

Come And Listen To The Wealth Of Great Music In Newport RI

By Ericka Marsh


The great thing about Rhode Island is that there are plenty of excellent musical events to attend. There are large public fairs and small locales where you can go to listen to the pros filling the air with great sounds. Every genre imaginable is presented year round. With a few tips you can enjoy the jazz and folk that have made the state a definite destination.

Most everyone has at least heard of the Newport Jazz Festival. This is a must attend for anyone interested in music in Newport RI. It has the reputation for presenting jazz greats from around the world. It usually has a three day run, and one hundred musical acts are almost certainly guaranteed to perform. It started out the summer of 1954. Top jazz artists came to sing their hearts and play their instruments. Billie Holiday, Gene Krupa, Oscar Peterson, George Shearing and Ella Fitzgerald were among the group of established and new musicians. All tickets to the Newport Casino were sold. The event made news around the globe.

Fort Adams State Park, a beautiful venue perched at the mouth of the harbor, fills with jazz performers by the hundreds. It is a cool place, with sea breeze and top rate music wafting over the crowds. There are plenty of vendors with souvenirs, crafts, food and drink available. The only warning is to buy tickets well in advance to ensure that there will be some left. There are tickets sold for the opening night cocktail party and concert held at the traditional Newport Casino. Due to the large attendance, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is used there, rain or shine, for these additional options.

For those interested in being part of the non profit organization that supports festivals in the city, contacting Newport Festivals Foundation, Inc. Is a start. This group presents a gala each year for an intimate gathering of dedicated philanthropists.

Also held at Fort Adams, and of keen interest to folk music fans is the Newport Folk Festival. It all began in the year 1959. This event has included a history book of famous performers throughout the decades since its founding. Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger are just two of the notable musicians who have all made indelible marks on the flavor of this musical and social gathering. The list of popular favorites increased annually, adding worthy new trends along the way.

Chamber and classical repertoire have not been excluded. The mansions of the Newport Preservation Society are the delightful venues for debut performances of international concert artists. Over a thousand have made their debut in Rhode Island homes, since 1920. Some popular guests include pianist Claudio Arrau and baritone Robert Merrill, to name two. The support for classical music continues year round at intimate venues throughout the area.

The Arts and Cultural Alliance is the sponsor of the annual Bridgefest. This is a lively blend of local musicians presented live at local restaurants, wineries, beaches, mansions, parks and much more. Designed to showcase popular and new performers, these concerts make emerging music accessible. Held over four days, the musical activities welcome adults and children, too.

A summer trip to musical Rhode Island is a given for many in New England. But plenty of the international musical world come along for the fun, too.




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