The CareFusion Newport Jazz Festival is in its 56th year on August 6- 8, 2010. The festival always attracts big name artists and up-and-coming musicians too. There are three stages with music to please everyone’s palette. The venue is one of a kind overlooking the Narragansett Bay, at Fort Adams State Park. This is the most picture-perfect setting for a jazz festival. More than 10,000 attended the festival.
On Saturday, the weather spectacular with a nice breeze flowing in from the bay. The festival opened at 11:00am on the newly added Quad Stage. The Global Jazz Institute at Berklee College of Music Septet treated us to some wonderful music. Matthew Halpin, tenor saxophone; Hailey Niswanger, alto saxophone; Andrew Burglass, guitar; Christian Li, piano; Greg Chaplin, bass; Jorge Perez, percussion; Mark Whitfield Jr., drums. Their first selection was entitled “The Beach: written by Halpin. Second selection was entitled “Sympathetic”. written by Li.