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2026 Newport Jazz Festival
Friday highlights included NEA Jazz Master Charles Lloyd's Sky Quartet, which featured Jason Moran, bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Kweku Sumbry. The set was dedicated to the late John Coltrane. Charles Lloyd's sound has not aged at all, and it was fun to watch the animated Lloyd interact with his band members.
Another highlight of the day was Anoushka Shankar, the daughter of Ravi Shankar. Her blend of Indian classical music with jazz certainly captured the attention of the audience. Saturday was more focused on established talent. Former Miles Davis sidemen Dave Holland and John Scofield set the stage for unforgettable music. Kamasi Washington and Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah's Centennial Salute to Miles Davis, John Coltrane and the late Sonny Rollins was a wonderful tribute.
The group's powerful combination of tunes—"A Love Supreme," "Milestones" and "Impressions"—became the highlight of the festival. Bassist Linda May Han Oh held her own, making her debut as a leader at this year's festival. Accompanied by trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and master drummer Tyshawn Sorey, she performed mostly from her 2025 album Strange Heavens. They certainly are carrying the torch for how this music should be played.
The apex of the festival came on Sunday, with NEA Jazz Master Herbie Hancock closing the festival. The crowd was shouting his name three minutes before he graced the stage. The energy he brought to the stage at the age of 86 was astounding. His seamless shifts between acoustic jazz, heavy funk and electronic synthesizer explorations show why he is truly one of the greats to play this music.
When the music faded and the crowd left Newport, what remained was the enduring spirit of collaboration and discovery. Icons like Herbie Hancock remind us why this historic festival matters. Newport is not just a celebration of where jazz has been, but a vibrant, living testament to where the genre is going next. Hopefully, the photos in this gallery reflect that as well.
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