Photos by Cheryl Landes

Yesterday I received an email from Jay Sweet, the Executive Director of the Newport Festivals Foundation. “This is the letter I was praying I wouldn’t have to write, feeling we need the healing powers of live music more now than ever,” he wrote. “It is with the heaviest of hearts we announce the cancellation of the 2020 Newport Jazz Festival” at Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island.

The decision came from the continued risks of people gathering in large groups due to the coronavirus.

“Although we won’t be able to gather at the Fort this summer, rest assured we have invited ALL the announced artists to join us next year,” he continued. “In the meantime, we promise we will all commune one way or another on our festival weekend. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.”

Read the entire statement at the Newport Jazz Festival’s home page.

Scenes from previous concerts at the Newport Jazz Festival: Brubeck Brothers Quartet (top left), Anat and Avishai Cohen (bottom left), and Esperanza Spalding (right)