Day 1 | Day 2 | Part 3

The Newport Jazz Festival is one of the planet's most fabled and celebrated jazz festivals and it has been towards the top of my bucket list for a very long time. I have attended jazz festivals for almost 40 years since my youth and finally made it to Newport on its 68th anniversary. It was magnificent—a peak lifetime musical experience. Over the festival's three-day span, I was an ecstatic whirlwind, photographing approximately 35 performances. I could only experience some shows in fleeting 10-minute bursts before rushing to the next, but I was also fortunate to immerse myself in several unforgettable sets fully.

Navigating between the festival's three stages required strategic planning; each stage could be up to a 15-minute walk apart (depending on crowds), especially challenging given the tightly packed schedule. I logged about 20 miles (~40,000 steps), which was exhausting but exhilarating. The curse of a jazz festival photographer is that you will miss many more great performances than you will see. Yet, it's a small quibble when you absorb a year's worth of exceptional music in three days. The festival was a smashing success, achieving sold-out status over the weekend and nearing capacity on Friday. The weather was nothing short of idyllic, contributing to a vibrant atmosphere radiating from the equally enthusiastic crowd. My goal wasn't to review the festival, but to share my thoughts, impressions, and images from this unforgettable experience, starting with the first day's highlights.

At just 26 years old, Blue Note recording artist